A Derby dog owner whose terrier bit a 14-year-old cyclist and a police officer is having his pet destroyed. Derby Crown Court heard how Nathaniel Rook had Ruby on a long lead on both separate occasions when she lunged at the two victims.

In his police interview following the second time, the 52-year-old, of Sunny Hill, told police the dog had "just nipped at the jeans" of the teenager "because she was scared". And in one of a number of outbursts from the dock at his sentencing hearing, Rook said Ruby bit the police officer as she was protecting her owner.

He said: "The girl was riding on the pavement and she had no lights. Her dad was in the beer shop buying beer. If he's got money to buy beer he's got money to buy lights. She should be on the road like the others."

Nicola Patten, prosecuting, said the first incident took place on July 21, 2021, when Rook was cutting a hedge at the corner of Oaktree Avenue and Elmtree Avenue, in Sunny Hill. She said the officer spotted what she called "a Staffie-type" dog on a long lead which started to growl and snap her jaws at him.

The prosecutor said: "The officer located the defendant and asked him to put the dog in the garden. He appeared angry but did so and then, a short while later, the officer saw the dog tied to a lamppost on quite a lengthy lead of some 20ft. The dog lunged forward and bit the officer to the arm."

Miss Patten said the second incident happened at around 4.50pm on November 28, 2021. She said the teenage girl was riding her bike on the pavement with her father in Osmaston Road and when they got to a Co-op store she noticed the defendant and Ruby. The prosecutor said: "As she approached the defendant pulled the dog back but it lunged forward and bit her leg, holding on for what she says was about two seconds.

"She shouted for her father who was further ahead and the police were called. The defendant initially refused to give his details. The dog continued to behave aggressively and lunged towards the officer."

Rook, of Caxton Street, pleaded guilty to two counts of being the owner of a dog which was dangerously out of control and which caused injury. Miss Patten said Ruby was taken from him on November 29, 2021, and has been in kennels since at a cost to the taxpayer of more than £6,200.

Handing him an 18-month community order, Recorder Michelle Heeley KC said: "I accept she (Ruby) was trying to look out for you and that she got spooked when (the teen) rode her bike by her but your dog bit a child and you have taken responsibility for that by pleading guilty.

"Clearly you feel very angry at being before the court and you knew that Ruby should not have been on a long lead. The real issue I have to grapple with is whether or not to order Ruby's destruction.

"You were given the chance to get a report about Ruby's behaviour but you didn't do that and I cannot be satisfied she will not do it again. And I am not confident that if Ruby came back to live with you anything would be any different.

"So with great sadness I will make a destruction order for Ruby." Rook then said: "So are you killing the dog?" Recorder Heeley replied: "Yes." Rook said: "Well that's all I need to know."

Lauren Fisher, mitigating, said her unemployed client will be "extremely saddened" by losing the dog. She said: "He understands the court's position but unfortunately he's not in a position to change it. I believe she's only about two years old and it will be deeply difficult for Mr Rook to come to terms with."

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/derby-dog-bit-teenage-cyclist-8061566

A frail elderly woman died four days after she was repeatedly bitten in her
home by a police dog, an inquest has heard.

Irene Collins, 73, was attacked by the canine as it searched her house in
Middlesbrough for a suspected drug dealer in July 2014.

The dog, called Dano, then returned to bite Mrs Collins for a second time
after it had been dragged off her by its handler, as the pensioner screamed
"why has this happened to me?".

A jury at the inquest at Teesside Magistrates' Court heard Mrs Collins, who
had lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, died four days
after being bitten on the arms and legs by the dog.

On arriving at her home, her son Eric told a police officer that the
incident "would finish her off".

A Home Office pathologist initially reported that she had died of her
injuries, despite her other medical issues.

PC Mark Baines and his police dog were searching for a male suspect after a
car with heroin and £100,000 in cash had been stopped and he had fled.

Sergeant Neil Yates explained the situation to Mrs Collins, who agreed for
her Penrith Road property to be searched. However, she was not aware that a
dog would be needed.

After searching the garden with its police handler, the dog managed to get
into the pensioner's house, the inquest was told.

Sgt Yates was not in the house, and heard by radio that the dog had
attacked the homeowner.

On entering the property, he saw Mrs Collins lying on the floor, with blood
coming from her head. The dog was seen biting her forearm while PC Baines
was yelling for it to "leave" and pulling it away by its collar.

Despite dragging the dog away into the hallway, it managed to pull free and
attacked Mrs Collins a second time, clamping down on her leg, as Sgt Yates
went to treat her.

Pc Baines managed to pull it off Mrs Collins for a second time.

Sgt Yates told the inquest that Mrs Collins was "screaming, upset, crying,
saying 'why has this happened to me?'"

Mrs Collins was given first aid and rushed by ambulance to James Cook
University Hospital, where she passed away four days later.

Matthew Donkin, a lawyer for her family, asked if Sgt Yates, who was
carrying a gun, had considered shooting the dog.

The coroner said the inquest would explore how the dog got into Mrs
Collins' house, its training and previous record.

PC Andrew Jobling, who was a plain clothes officer at the time, said that
PC Baines had yelled he was going to bring the dog in for the search.

<https://news.sky.com/story/elderly-woman-died-after-attack-by-police-dog-11500728>

Now spot the differences with this story:

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> A Derby dog owner whose terrier bit a 14-year-old cyclist and a police
> officer is having his pet destroyed. Derby Crown Court heard how
> Nathaniel Rook had Ruby on a long lead on both separate occasions when
> she lunged at the two victims.
>
> In his police interview following the second time, the 52-year-old, of
> Sunny Hill, told police the dog had "just nipped at the jeans" of the
> teenager "because she was scared". And in one of a number of outbursts
> from the dock at his sentencing hearing, Rook said Ruby bit the police
> officer as she was protecting her owner.
>
> He said: "The girl was riding on the pavement and she had no lights. Her
> dad was in the beer shop buying beer. If he's got money to buy beer he's
> got money to buy lights. She should be on the road like the others."
>
> Nicola Patten, prosecuting, said the first incident took place on July
> 21, 2021, when Rook was cutting a hedge at the corner of Oaktree Avenue
> and Elmtree Avenue, in Sunny Hill. She said the officer spotted what she
> called "a Staffie-type" dog on a long lead which started to growl and snap her jaws at him.
>
> The prosecutor said: "The officer located the defendant and asked him to
> put the dog in the garden. He appeared angry but did so and then, a short
> while later, the officer saw the dog tied to a lamppost on quite a
> lengthy lead of some 20ft. The dog lunged forward and bit the officer to the arm."
>
> Miss Patten said the second incident happened at around 4.50pm on
> November 28, 2021. She said the teenage girl was riding her bike on the
> pavement with her father in Osmaston Road and when they got to a Co-op
> store she noticed the defendant and Ruby. The prosecutor said: "As she
> approached the defendant pulled the dog back but it lunged forward and
> bit her leg, holding on for what she says was about two seconds.
>
> "She shouted for her father who was further ahead and the police were
> called. The defendant initially refused to give his details. The dog
> continued to behave aggressively and lunged towards the officer."
>
> Rook, of Caxton Street, pleaded guilty to two counts of being the owner
> of a dog which was dangerously out of control and which caused injury.
> Miss Patten said Ruby was taken from him on November 29, 2021, and has
> been in kennels since at a cost to the taxpayer of more than £6,200.
>
> Handing him an 18-month community order, Recorder Michelle Heeley KC
> said: "I accept she (Ruby) was trying to look out for you and that she
> got spooked when (the teen) rode her bike by her but your dog bit a child
> and you have taken responsibility for that by pleading guilty.
>
> "Clearly you feel very angry at being before the court and you knew that
> Ruby should not have been on a long lead. The real issue I have to
> grapple with is whether or not to order Ruby's destruction.
>
> "You were given the chance to get a report about Ruby's behaviour but you
> didn't do that and I cannot be satisfied she will not do it again. And I
> am not confident that if Ruby came back to live with you anything would be any different.
>
> "So with great sadness I will make a destruction order for Ruby." Rook
> then said: "So are you killing the dog?" Recorder Heeley replied: "Yes."
> Rook said: "Well that's all I need to know."
>
> Lauren Fisher, mitigating, said her unemployed client will be "extremely
> saddened" by losing the dog. She said: "He understands the court's
> position but unfortunately he's not in a position to change it. I believe
> she's only about two years old and it will be deeply difficult for Mr
> Rook to come to terms with."
>
> https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/derby-dog-bit-teenage-cyclist-8061566
>

--
Spike

Pity that anyone,male or female that attacks innocent members of the public and are deemed out of control and aggressive,aren't ordered to be put down,euthanised,dispatched for good.

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> Pity that anyone,male or female that attacks innocent members of the
> public and are deemed out of control and aggressive,aren't ordered to be
> put down,euthanised,dispatched for good.

Just to be clear on this, would someone qualify for the ultimate sanction
if they knowingly descended under the force of gravity from a bridge, right
in front of a lorry being driven on the road below?

--
Spike

The blame lies with both parties. I think the dog owner is a "Set in His Ways" type of bloke, therefore I don't think he'll take any notice of ANYONE nor shorten the dogs lead off I think it's a case of "Mind Your Own Business, It's My Dog" so by doing what he wants has resulted in the dog being destroyed. The young girl cycling on the pavement minus bike lights, well that's a No No, I know she's only a teenager but that's how it all starts, people complaining about CYCLISTS! The police MISSED the opportunity of Advising her FATHER about the LEGAL RIGHTS Concerning LIGHTS ! As for him going to the shop to buy BEER, I don't doubt it, perhaps he's on a LIQUID DIET!People can ALWAYS FIND THE MONEY for NON-ESSENTIALS.