A COUNCIL tree officer suffered a serious leg injury when she was bitten by a dangerously out-of-control dog, a court was told.

Burnley Crown Court heard how victim Katy Morley went onto land owned by defendant Brian Maguire to ask for directions after becoming lost on her way to a job.

Maguire was not present when Ms Morley went to the remote property in Rhoden Fold, Oswaldtwistle, but his lurcher, Nip, was and proceeded to bite the victim.

Jon Close, prosecuting, said: “The dog was tied to kennels on the property by a chain. The chain was two metres in length. There were no signs or warnings indicating there was a dog on the site.

“So it was Ms Morley came to be walking down the defendant’s path. As she walked down the driveway the dog came from her left-hand side and bit her hard on the left leg.

“As the victim struggled, off the dog came again but the chain stopped her.”

As a result of the attack Ms Morley was left with a 3cm deep wound which was 5cm by 3cm in length.

She spent two days in hospital and had five weeks off work.

In a victim personal statement Ms Morley said she became depressed as a result of the attack, which happened on January 11, 2017.

When questioned by police about the incident, Maguire told officers that Ms Morley should have been arrested for trespassing and that Nip was ‘just doing its job’.

The court heard that 18 months earlier Nip was involved in an incident in which a postman ran from the property to avoid being attacked.

In 2013 Nip was taken off 62-year-old Maguire for 12 months, along with other dogs, after the farmworker was prosecuted for an animal cruelty offence. However Nip and the other dogs were later returned.

Maguire pleaded guilty to a single count of being the owner of a dog which was dangerously out of control.

Christopher Boxall, defending, said his client was not present at the time of the attack and that he had left Nip secure in a caravan. But the defendant’s brother had gone to check on Nip and left her outside on a chain.

Mr Boxall said: “It has now been 22 months since the offence took place. It is right to say there has been no repetition of what happened on that day.

“Indeed the defendant has taken measures to address the risks posed by his dog Nip, including placing signs on his property. He has placed an obstruction in front of his road and he has made sure his dog is on a shorter chain.”

Judge Jonathan Gibson said: “This appears to have been an isolated incident. There were no previous complaints involving the dog biting anybody. You have clearly demonstrated remorse to the author of the pre-sentence report.”

Maguire was given a 12-month community order with 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days. He must also pay £300 compensation.