Boy, seven, bitten by out of control dog at holiday park, court told

The owner of the dog, Pauline Lockey, 64, pleaded guilty to owning a dog which was dangerously out of control when she appeared before magistrates in King’s Lynn this morning.

The court heard the boy had seen the dog, described as a black and white collie on court papers, while at the Heacham Beach Holiday Park on March 30 this year. No owner was in sight.

Jane Foster, prosecuting, said the boy had reached out to take hold of the dog’s tag in order to find out who it belonged to. As he did so, the collie bit him in the face, causing deep puncture wounds.

When interviewed by police the following day, Lockey, of Wimpole Street, Chatteris, confirmed she owned the dog and admitted she had been unaware it had escaped from her charge.

The court also heard that a behaviourist had been working with the dog in order to address anxiety concerns related to walking.

But it was stated in Lockey’s defence that the animal had no previous history of aggression.

Magistrates adjourned the case until September 5 for pre-sentence and dog behaviour reports to be compiled.