Court Report: Dog bit delivery woman twice at garage

It belonged to Richard Barjasz who was visiting an auto repair business on Redstone Industrial Estate, town magistrates were told on Wednesday.

The woman, who works for a motor parts company, noticed the dog on a chain held by Barjasz as she made her way towards shelving with a delivery.

“The man appeared to have hold of it on a lead,” said prosecutor Paul Wood.

Suddenly the two-year-old dog bit the woman on the right buttock causing a “searing pain”.

It then grabbed her right arm, with Barjasz yanking the dog to get it off.

“The dog had her arm with its upper teeth and lower teeth,” said the prosecutor.

Inside Barjasz’s van was a harness, muzzle and cage, the court was told.

He told police the animal was “usually calm and a lazy dog”.

Mr Wood added: “He said he no longer had the dog – he had taken it back to Poland and got a three-year-old Belgian Shepherd, which looks exactly the same as the one in question.

“But they are not the same dog is what he told the police.”

Mr Wood said the bench must consider a destruction order for the dog which attacked the woman unless the defendant can establish that it does not represent a danger to public safety.

“Wherever the dog is, the court is still mandated to make that order,” he added.

Barjasz, of Charnwood Close, Barton Seagrave, Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury on October 13 last year.

Mike Alexander, mitigating, said there must have been a communication error with police because his client still has two dogs, including the one in question.

He said the dog, which is used as part of a security business, had been to the garage on a number of previous occasions and had never behaved badly.

“He can’t explain why this happened,” the solicitor added, saying that his client had sent money to the victim, which was returned, and flowers by way of apology.

Magistrates adjourned the case to June 16 for more evidence on the dog to be gathered. Barjasz was granted unconditional bail.