Sutton woman’s dog to be rehomed after biting toddler

Chloe Taylor's French bulldog CJ bit the child on January 6 and the girl was taken to hospital to be treated for what was ‘certainly not a minor injury’, said prosecutor Sanjay Jerath.

Taylor agreed to surrender control of the dog but then refused to hand it over the next day, he said.

The court was told CJ also bit a 10-year-old child in a separate ‘minor incident’ the year before.

Steven Langton, mitigating, said Taylor bought the small breed dog when it was eight weeks old and had owned it for two years.

He said an experienced canine behaviour expert concluded CJ was ‘not aggressive by nature’ and "’not a danger to public safety’.

"The whole criminal justice process has been something which will stay with her for a very long time," he added.

"I can assure the court she would never put children in harm's way."

Taylor's stepfather offered to accept ownership of the dog and described it as a ‘much-loved family pet’, Mr Langton added.

Taylor, 25, of Elderfield Drive, admitted being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on May 25.

On Thursday, magistrates agreed for her to transfer CJ's ownership to her stepfather and imposed a control order which requires the dog to be muzzled and kept on a fixed lead when outside, with further expert checks.

Taylor, who has no previous convictions, was fined £138, with a £34 surcharge and £85, costs.

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