A homeless man has admitted he let his rottweiler get out of control, after it attacked and bit a police officer in Kingston.

Kirk Young, 50, appeared at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Officers were patrolling in Memorial Gardens shortly after 10pm on Saturday, July 20, when three dogs ran up to them.

Prosecutor Charles Taylor-Sonko told the court: “The dogs ran up to the two officers barking and lunging at them.”

One jumped at an officer and bit his left forearm, the court heard, leaving two puncture wounds.

The officer went to Kingston Hospital but had returned to duty by the following Monday.

Mr Taylor added: “Mr Young was not present at the time. Mr Young appears later on.

“He accepted that he was the owner of the dogs and that they had been looked after by a friend.”

Defending, Ross Price described Young as “very vulnerable”.

He said: “Mr Young has issues surrounding accommodation and homelessness. If one is homeless, how is one to look after one, let alone three, dogs?

“Mr Young would benefit from meeting with probation to address these various issues.”

Young has no similar previous conviction, Mr Price added.

After lengthy deliberation, magistrate Ms A Linton said: “This attack took place in a public place. There were three dogs out of control and so aggressive that a minor injury was caused to a public servant.

“We know that you immediately regained control of the dogs.

“It is not a sustained attack. The victim was not a child or a vulnerable person.

“It was an isolated incident and you have no similar previous convictions.”

Magistrates adjourned the hearing to allow the probation service to prepare a report to guide them in sentencing.

Young is due to be sentenced on Monday, August 12, at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court.

He was released on unconditional bail.

 



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