A STAFFORDSHIRE bull terrier attacked a nine-year-old girl as she played in a park, a court heard.
Chloe Woodward suffered injuries to her leg, knee and foot after Hugo lurched at her as she was playing on the zip wire in Burton on August 25.
The youngster has now been left wary of all dogs – including the family pet.
But according to the dog's owner, Inese Karole, he is usually 'very playful', and this attack was completely out of character, Burton Magistrates' Court was told.
Zoe Speake, prosecuting, said: "The injured party was asked what it did when it came up to her, and she said it came and jumped up on her and started biting her. The dog wasn't on a lead, but it was with the owner.
"The owner said she was sorry and wanted to get the injured party some money. She put the dog back on the lead, smacked it on its back and left the location."
Chloe's family and the police appealed for help to find the dog's owner in the Mail, which Karole, 37, who is Latvian, saw and handed herself in at the police station.
"She said she didn't know what to do or if she had to report this in this country, but said she didn't know what would be expected in Latvia, either," Ms Speake said.
Karole, of Beech Street, Burton, admitted being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control when she appeared before magistrates on Tuesday.
Neil O'Driscoll, defending, said: "The bull terrier is 18-months-old, and never caused any problems whatsoever. He is a playful dog, and plays with her 13-year-old son in this park.
"The zip wire is where he plays with her son, but, regretfully, on this occasion, my client saw the dog bite the child.
"My client says it was an evening and there were few people around, and that's why she had the dog off the lead."
Karole will be sentenced on November 5. The dog may be put down as a result of this incident.
