A WOODROW man was ordered to pay £50 compensation to two police officers bitten by his dog while he was being arrested for drunk and disorderly behaviour.

Steven Walsh, 29, of Woodrow Centre, was 'feeling angry' when he visited a Studley Road pub on September 21 after an argument broke out at his sister's Greenlands home, Redditch magistrates heard.

The court heard a police officer followed Walsh and called for backup after seeing him walking in the middle of the road with his dog at about 11pm.

Walsh, who admitted the charge, began walking on the pavement when he reached a BP petrol station but became aggressive, abusive and tried to run away when officers attempted to communicate with him.

Liz Tweed, prosecuting, said: 'The dog actually bit two of the officers while they were arresting the defendant, who started head-banging the rear window of the police car.'

She said Walsh claimed in a police interview he was not being disorderly but thought he may have had more than two pints of Guinness because he could not remember parts of the evening.

Miss Tweed added: 'He said he was walking in the middle of the road because he might have wanted to kill himself because he was p***ed off about the argument he had.'

She said Walsh may have been less able to restrain the dog because of his drunken state.

She added: 'The officers had cause to arrest him and the dog reacted.

'It is accepted, as a dog, it would react.

'It defended the other member of its pack.

'However, it was Mr Walsh's responsibility to restrain the dog. As a result police officers were injured.'

Ian McLachlan, defending, said: 'There are some elements of semi-farce to this case but there were by no means any serious injuries.

'Police uniforms are fairly robust and it wasn't a particularly large dog.'

Walsh was also fined a nominal £10 for a Bail Act offence plus a £40 contribution towards costs on Friday.

A conditional discharge imposed last year remains in force.