Good Samaritan attacked by dog as he went to help owner in Wolverhampton park
A Good Samaritan was knocked to the ground and bitten several times by a giant German shepherd dog after he went to the aid of its owner.
Gary Thelwell was out with his 14-week-old springer spaniel in Ettingshall Park when he spotted pensioner Wilbert Bennett struggling to walk, Wolverhampton Magistrates Court heard.
But when he approached 78-year-old Bennett to see if he needed help, he saw a 'very large' tan and white coloured German shepherd dog leaping up and down.
Mrs Kelly Fox, prosecuting, said Whiskey was 'not on a lead and was not wearing a muzzle' when it bounded towards its victim.
"Mr Thelwell grabbed his own dog in his arms," she said. "He felt a thud and was knocked down by the dog."
Mr Thelwell was bitten hard on the lower back numerous times, continued the prosecutor. He eventually forced the dog to run away by striking him with a branch he had picked up off the ground.
The court was told that the victim did not require hospital treatment for the injuries he sustained during the attack, which happened at around 7pm on April 9.
His own dog had run off during the incident but was later reunited with its owner. The court was told that Bennett, who has no previous convictions, made no effort to restrain his dog during the attack.
He was interviewed by police over the matter on April 14 and admitted Whiskey's involvement. The dog was subsequently seized by the West Midlands Police dangerous dog unit.
The court was told that the unit carried out an assessment and concluded that Whiskey was not a danger to the public and could be returned to Bennett providing a number of conditions were met.
They were that the dog should be micro-chipped within the next month and put on a lead and muzzled at all times when in public.
Bennett, of Wordsworth Avenue, Woodcross, Wolverhampton, admitted being the owner of a of a dangerously out of control dog causing injury.
He was fined £100 and ordered to pay compensation of £100, court costs of £85 and a statutory surcharge of £20.
District Judge Michael Wheeler told him: "This was an isolated incident where your dog got away from you and bit someone. I'm sure you are upset about it yourself, but the fact remains that the dog did injure Mr Thelwell.
"He would have found the situation rather distressing."
