A WOMAN with a bull terrier which terrorised a taxi driver and his sister, tried to attack them with its chain and hurled a torrent of racial abuse, a court was told.

Convicted knifewoman Shelley Anne Taylor, 39, who is banned from having dogs, harassed the hysterical victims, shouting vile remarks and telling them: ‘Get back to where you belong’, as they tried to escape from the aggressive animal.

The pair were finally rescued by a paramedic who had seen the incident from the nearby Burnley General Hospital and led them to safety, Pennine magistrates heard.

The hearing was told how Taylor was disqualified from having custody of a dog by Accrington magistrates in July, 2009.

The order was imposed after a previous dog died. The animal was found to have been poisoned and Taylor was said to be responsible.

Two months after the attack on Mohammed Khan and his sister, Taylor turned up at the home of former friend Josephine Clark, and assaulted her.

The defendant, who has cancer, admitted breach of a court order banning custody of a dog, being the person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control on Briercliffe Road, Burnley, and racially-aggravated harassment, alarm or distress, all on July 31 and assault by beating at Burnley, on September 21.

Taylor, of Ferndale Street, Burnley, was given a two-year community order, with supervision and a four-week, 9pm to 7am curfew and must pay a £50 fine, £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

She must also pay £50 compensation to Ms Clark.

The defendant said she could see the Khans were screaming, but denied trying to hit them with the lead. David Leach, for Taylor, said she is being treated for cancer, adding: “She is hoping the disease has gone into remission.”