A STAFFORDSHIRE bull terrier cross which has attacked two police officers has been sentenced to death.

The animal, Dyson, which was owned by Lee Rainford, was made the subject of a destruction order by a judge at Burnley Crown Court.

Jobless Rainford, 26, of Leyland Road, Burnley, had earlier admitted having a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury in a public place.

He had initially wanted ownership of the dog transferred to his mother.

He was given a 12 month conditional discharge and banned from owning or keeping animals for five years.

Rainford is already on a five year ban after last month pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal – a rottweiler puppy said to have been in agony for two weeks after an attempt to dock its tail.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting yesterday, said police were called to the defendant's house on June 5.

Rainford opened the front door and two large dogs, one of them Dyson, ran towards the officers.

Dyson tried to bite one officer and then sank its teeth into the thigh of a special constable.

The court had earlier been told the dog was later assessed by an animal behaviour expert and bit a police officer.

Caroline Patrick, for Rainford, said he had sold the rottweiler as a result of the earlier ban’ Judge Beverley Lunt said the behavioural expert's report on Dyson made very sad reading for the dog.