Staveley woman's Alsatian bit man

Lesley Booker, 29, of Wateringbury Close, pleaded not guilty to the charge but was convicted at a trial, which she did not attend.

Becky Allsop, prosecuting, said: “The complainant was unloading a lorry of bricks in the street close to the defendant’s address. He had his back to the road. He described that a dog had jumped up his back, he felt teeth rip into his skin under his clothing. He managed to get it off.”

The victim, Christopher Foster, was left with bruising to his shoulders blades. He later went to the address with police where he identified the dog.

Ms Allsop said: “The police officer who tried to speak to her (Ms Booker) said she was irate and was constantly shouting at the complainant, saying ‘he’s lying, you’re all lying’.”

Defending, Annette Thomas, said the 13-year-old long-haired Alsatian called Jerry Lee had undergone an operation on its mouth before the attack.

She said: “There were no other incidents. The dog is almost 13 and barely leaves the house. He is more of a garden dog. When he does leave the house he is on a muzzle and under their control.

“The victim is a dog lover and said if an apology had been made he would not have proceeded with it.”

The incident took place on June 5, 2014 at Pottery Lane East in Chesterfield.

The case was adjourned for three weeks until March 7 in order for pre-sentence reports to be compiled by the probation service.

Booker will be sentenced on that date.