Worksop assault woman's dog bit female cop

The black Labrador called Blade was snarling and barking at the WPC through the window when she called at Suzanne Button’s home, on February 10.

Prosecutor Daniel Pietryka said: “The defendant went back inside to collect her phone. At that point the dog came out with its teeth bared, and lunged at the officer.”

The dog bit the officer just above the knee and she shouted at Button, and another man, to grab it.

In police interview, Button said the dog was normally never around other people, and described it as a “loving dog” which was regularly walked.

Button was arrested again after she thumped her partner on the head, body and arms, on February 25, leaving him with red marks and scratches.

“He refused to get her a bottle of wine after she had had three bottles,” said Mr Pietryka.

Harry Bevan, mitigating, said there had been no previous complaints about the dog and no previous offences.

He said the dog had left “nip” marks, but no punctures, on the officer’s leg.

He said that Button, who suffers from depression and anxiety, accepts she binge drinks at the weekends, but had sought help from a counselling service and was not an alcoholic.

“She is sincerely remorseful,” he added.

Button, 41, of Kingston Road, admitted assault and being the owner of a dangerously out of control dog, when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Friday.

She was fined £200 and ordered to pay £100 compensation to the injured officer. For the assault she was fined £100, and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 government surcharge.

Magistrates ordered a contingent destruction order for Blade, which means the dog must be kept under proper control at all times, muzzled on a lead in a public place and a warning sign must be put up outside Button’s home.