Woman needed 40 stitches after horror attack by out-of-control dog outside pub

The attack happened outside of the Shoulder of Mutton pub

Laura Anderson said there was "blood everywhere" after she was viciously and repeatedly bitten by the Staffordshire Terrier crossbreed outside the Shoulder of Mutton pub, in Houghton, last June.

 She suffered bite marks and wounds to "various places on her body", including an arm, leg, buttock and torso and needed surgery in hospital after the attack by the animal, named "Cash".

 At Newcastle Crown Court, the dog's owner Paul Dees, of Glendale, Washington, has been found guilty by a jury of being the owner of a dog that caused injury while out of control in a public place.

 The 48-year-old, who denied the charge on the basis he had left the animal at a nearby house but it escaped, has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at a later date.

 The court heard the dog is being held in kennels, in custody of the police.

 Judge Edward Bindloss told Dees after the guilty verdict: "I am going to adjourn sentence until November 19. I will decide then what happens to you and what happens to the dog."

 Prosecutor Jessica Slaughter told the court Miss Anderson had been involved in an altercation with another female outside the pub when the animal attacked.

 Miss Slaughter said: "The dog bit her, she believes, about six times, causing injuries to various places on her body.

 "This wasn't a short incident, it was sustained."

 The court heard one witness who was present during the attack, which people tried to stop, said Dees was there but "can't recall him doing anything or try and stop this happening".

 After an initial "four to five minutes" attack, the court heard the dog appeared to calm down and ran to Dees, while shocked witnesses tried to help Miss Anderson.

 But Miss Slaughter added: "Miss Anderson was on the floor. The dog came flying back over and started to attack her again.

 "Due to the assistance other people were able to provide Miss Anderson with, she was eventually able to get away and was carried to her home."

 The court heard Miss Anderson was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital after the attack.

 She had initially believed the dog would have been dealt with by the authorities but contacted the police when she saw Dees with the animal in the street a few weeks later.

 Miss Anderson told the court during the trial: "The dog charged at me and got hold of my arm.

 "It wouldn't stop biting me."

 She said people initially managed to get the animal off her but it came back again.

 Miss Anderson said: "I had flesh off my leg.

 "I was ripped under my breast.

 "There was blood everywhere.

 "I had bite marks on my ear. My arm was the worst.

 "At hospital I had surgery and needed 40 stitches."

 Mss Anderson said she "just panicked" when she saw the dog out in public again.