German shepherd owner to pay £3,600 after dog mauled to death
The attack happened at Runcorn Town Park in late 2021.
Runcorn Town Park. (Runcorn Weekly News)
The owner of two German shepherds called “Nuke” and “Demon” has been told to pay more than £1,000 in compensation after they mauled another dog to death.
Stuart Forster, 36, of The Uplands, Runcorn, appeared at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to a second count of having a dog dangerously out of control in a public place, having previously admitted a like offence.
The charges related to an incident at Town Park in Runcorn on November 5, 2021.
Prosecuting authority Halton Borough Council said the two German shepherds were being walked off the lead when they attacked a smaller dog and its owner, who afterwards reported her ordeal to the local authority.
Forster was ordered to pay £1,220 in compensation, fined £500, and told to pay £1,815.61 in costs plus £95 surcharge, totalling £3,630.61.
He was made subject to a community order with a 20-week curfew confining him to his home between 7pm and 7am.
Court papers said no destruction order was made for Demon, as he is now the property of HM Prison and Probation Service and works as a prison dog at HMP Manchester.
Forster was ordered that Nuke must be walked by Forster or another adult who is suitably trained.
Nuke must also be kept on a lead and muzzled in public but not applied while Nuke is “deployed operationally” as part of a contract, training or enclosed dog trial.
In addition, any change of ownership must be reported to Halton Council within 48 hours.
Following a previous hearing in December, a council spokesperson said. “This was a tragic incident that could have been avoided if the defendant had kept proper control of his dogs in a public place.
“The council takes all complaints about dangerous dogs very seriously.
“We hope that this recent case sends out a message of zero tolerance around dangerous dogs that cause fear and put people who use our parks and open spaces at risk.
“We will not hesitate to take robust enforcement action against anybody who allows their dogs to be dangerously out of control.”
The case had been adjourned from December for sentencing and consideration of whether to make any destruction orders.
The spokesperson said the council shares responsibility for enforcing the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 with the police, and any immediate concerns about a dog behaving dangerously should be reported to Cheshire police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.
Read more news from Runcorn, Cheshire, here.
