A dog has had a destruction order placed on him after biting a four-year-old girl at a rugby match last year and causing severe injury. Paddy the collie had the destruction order put on him last week at the Guildford Crown Court after his owner, John Trodden, pleaded guilty to owning a dangerously out of control dog that caused injury in a public place. The little girl, who remains anonymous, has been left with serious facial scars following the attack last year.

It was heard in court that the incident happened only six weeks after the dog had bitten another young girl. The five-year-old dog bit the girl while attending a rugby match in September of last year. Mr Trodden had been watching his son play while the dog was tied up near a group of playing children. The young girl approached the dog to pat it, before it growled and bit her arm and face.

£2,000 compensation

It was heard that the girl’s father heard a loud scream and looked over to see her next to the dog. He said she had blood all over her face and hands. The girl was immediately rushed to hospital in an ambulance, where the lacerations were closed under general anesthetic. She was kept in hospital overnight.

Mr Trodden was sentenced to 28 days’ imprisonment suspended for 12 months, 28 days on an electronically tagged curfew, was ordered to pay the girl £2,000 in compensation and a further £1,350 in prosecution costs.

Deputy Circuit Judge Susan Matthews QC said: “I hope the little girl has done her best with support from her family to move on, albeit a very difficult thing to move on from.”

If you have suffered an animal-related injury, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us.