A Carlisle dog owner has appeared in court after his lurcher bit a man who was heading home from the gym.
The city’s magistrates’ court heard the unsuspecting victim was walking past a roundabout at Crown Street towards Currock Street after his workout on July 8 last year at around 8.20pm.
As he approached a house on the left hand side, he saw a medium-sized black and white dog and a middle aged man with long grey hair.
Prosecutor George Shelley said: “Without warning the dog has bitten the back of his leg and his right hand.
Mr Harrow attended Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary’s accident and emergency, receiving a tetanus injection and antibiotics. As a result of the incident he suffered puncture wounds, one to the back of his knee area, and a second to his thumb.
The dog had been pushed away and returned to its owner, 57-year-old David Benson.
In court Benson admitted a charge of being in charge of a black and white lurcher/greyhound dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control.
Benson’s solicitor, Kate Hunter, suggested the offence arose out of a momentary lapse of control and attention.
“He was heavily involved in a text message at the time regarding an accident he had, and I’m not sure he was fully aware of the incident and what happened,” said Ms Hunter. “He would say he was engrossed in the text messages.”
The court heard police were not seeking destruction of the dog, which had not been seized and was still in Benson’s possession.
However, Ms Hunter suggested the case could be adjourned for reports to be prepared by a dog behaviouralist and probation officer before sentence was passed.
Benson, of Currock Street, was granted bail and is due to receive his punishment at the magistrates’ court on May 25.
