Staffordshire bull terrier bit teenager in West Bromwich
A teenage boy needed hospital treatment after a Staffordshire bull terrier escaped from a house and bit the youngster, a court heard. The 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was with friends in Jesson Street, West Bromwich, when the dog attacked.
The animal jumped up at the teenager, biting him in the groin area, forcing him to the ground, before biting him a second time, Sandwell magistrates heard. It eventually let go after the 20 to 30-second assault, leaving the boy with a 2cm wound and a graze to the right elbow.
The court was told that Jalani Francis had been in the house with his wife Marcia when they heard a commotion and screams from the group of friends outside.
Miss Rosie Sivia, prosecuting, said Marcia Francis opened the front door to find out what was going on but the dog ran outside and launched the attack.
Miss Sivia said an argument began between people gathered outside in the road in the aftermath but the boy slipped away.
"He noticed that there were blood stains and he needed to get some medical treatment," she added.
The boy was eventually dropped off at Sandwell General Hospital where he had to be anaesthetised while the wound was cleaned up. Miss Sivia said the dog was actually owned by Jalani Francis's son, and he had been looking after it for him.
Jalani Francis, now of Douglas Road, Handsworth, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control in a public place and caused injury on May 24, 2012.
The 41-year-old appeared at court yesterday for sentencing after a report was compiled by the probation service. Mr Errol Robinson, defending Francis, said his client was a man of previous good character.
"This is a case of negligence rather than any deliberate or reckless action," he said.
District Judge Michael Wheeler said Francis should still be allowed to have dogs in the future, saying the evidence failed to show he was an unfit owner.
However, he did order that the Staffordshire bull terrier be destroyed.
Francis was given a 12-month community order and 80 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay the 15-year-old £300 compensation, £80 court costs and £250 towards kennelling fees while the Staffordshire bull terrier was cared for by police.
