Dog Owner Cleared of Assault

Thu, 24 Sep 2009

A dog owner has been cleared of assault after her seven stone pet bit a policeman. Jacqueline Hedley was accused of setting her American bulldog on the police officers after they arrived at her house to arrest a suspect. Durham Crown Court heard how police pepper sprayed the animal on two occasions, and hit it with a steel snow shovel in an attempt to fight off the angry dog, called Scatter. The officers even threatened to shoot the pet if Ms Hedley didn’t restrain it.

The police were eventually able to get past the dog, and found the suspect hiding in the loft. However, as the police were leaving, Scatter bit PC Brian Carter in the thigh and the hand. Robin Patton, defending, claimed it was unsurprising the dog was out of control after being ‘terrorised’ by the police, and insisted Ms Hedley played no part in the attack.

The Dangerous Dogs Act does not apply in this case as the incident took place on private property . With no evidence of deliberate wrongdoing by Ms Hedley, Judge Tony Lancaster ordered the jury to return a not guilty verdict.

Scatter was subsequently caught and taken to a vet . After resisting attempts to be calmed, the dog was put down the following day.

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