Mastiff ordered destroyed after Rotherham man, 20, sicced dog on two officers who were arresting him

“Appalling” bodyworn footage was played at Sheffield Magistrates Court yesterday showing the moment two officers arrested Cameron Bullock, 21, from his home in Hatherley Road, Swinton, on August 2 last year.

The then-20-year-old was wanted on reports he had struck his 37-year-old girlfriend the day before.

In the footage, Bullock appeared drunk before repeatedly yelling at the two female officers: “You need to go to the gym, women, women, women, weak as ****, stupid fat ****, weak, weak, weak,” before assaulting both PCs by biting and kicking them.

However, once they had the young man on the ground, Bullock shouted “get her, Rex.”

It was then that ‘Rex,’ a mastiff-type dog, which had just appeared from inside the house, set on and mauled one of the officers, who was heard screaming in the footage.

The court was shown photos of the officer’s bleeding arm and bruised leg after the attack.

Bullock used the distraction to flee from police, but was found shortly afterwards “hiding in a ditch,” where he then spat at a different PC.

Rex the dog was seized and has been in local authority kennels ever since.

Bullock initially later pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker and being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury. He pleaded not guilty to common assault over hitting his partner the day before the incident, but was found guilty at court in February.

At Sheffield Magistrate’s Court yesterday (July 2), Bullock’s defence solicitor, Miss Connie Coombes, argued her client was “far calmer” than the 20-year-old she had met a year ago, and now had a “far more stable life than he did at the time, or he ever has.”

Miss Coombes said: “He has never presented those sort of attitudes in the time I’ve in time I have been dealing with him, and I’ve known Mr Bullock for quite some time now.

“That language in the footage is childish and appalling, and he speaks to who he was at the time. He was just over 20, and there was an awful lot of tumultuous factors in his life at the time, and he was turning to alcohol.

“He is supported now by his new partner in a far more stable relationship - the most stable and normal relationship he has ever had. He has his whole life in front of him and it would be a great shame to send him to prison.”

District Judge Tim Spruce told Bullock he found Bullock’s position in court “bleak.”

The judge said: “Miss Coombes seeks to persuade me that if I give you a chance you will comply with that order - I have to say, I’m not overly convinced.

“[The footage shows] there was a significant struggle with the officers and the language towards them is appalling.

“The dog was set upon them and she had to attend hospital.

“Your position is bleak.”

The judge said he acknowledged Bullock was only 20 at the time of the offence, and that “those 20 years have not been particularly kind to you.”

Mr Spruce said: “You’ve kept out of trouble since [these offences]. You have some stabilising factors, the least of which is [your partner].

“I’m not going to send you to prison today.

“There is a glimmer of hope.

“But I have to say, the chance I am about to give you is one you need to seize, cherish, and hold onto, because if you fail to take it or mess it up you can expect a lengthy custodial sentence.

“You better hope that I don’t see you again.”

Bullock was sentenced to 48 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was also handed an alcohol abstinence order for 120 days and ordered to pay £600 in compensation total to the two police officers.

However, the sentence that clearly affected Bullock the most was the order for Rex to be destroyed, while also barring him from keeping another dog for three years.

The judge said: “I am sure that Rex was only acting on your distress and that a dog is likely to act in that nature.

“But anyone who sets a dog on a police officer is not fit to keep a dog.”