The owner of a dog that launched a vicious attack on a young boy leaving him with serious injuries, has avoided an immediate jail sentence.

The dog attacked the seven-year-old in Smethwick after it escaped from its owners’ garden in Ada Road through a broken fence on August 25. Sandwell Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday.

The dog’s owner Nashya Lloyd McKenzie, aged 25, was handed a 12-week jail sentence suspended for 12 months because the dog was dangerously out of control.

This was the second time the dog, called Kilo, had att-acked someone and in 2010 McKenzie had been subject to a local community resolution order for the offence.

The boy has been left terrified of dogs after he suffered severe cuts and bites to his legs and had to be pushed around in a push-chair for some time after the attack because he could not walk due to his injuries.

Miss Kelly Hale, prosecuting, told the court the attack happened at around 8am when the dog escaped from McKenzie’s garden.

The boy’s grandmother had taken the dog into her garden as she feared it might be run over, and this is when it attacked the boy.

Miss Hale said: “The boy suffered severe cuts and injuries to his legs and foot, which required stitches. It was so serious the paramedics were called and he had to be taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.”

McKenzie had previously pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog who was dangerously out of control in a public place. Mr Baljinder Suman defending told the court that McKenzie was very sorry about what had happened, and he did not contest a destruction order.

Magistrates also ordered him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £250 compensation to the boy. They also banned him from owning a dog for the next five years.