A WOMAN has been fined and ordered to pay compensation after her dog bit her next door neighbour’s ankle.

Hayley Mountford, of Hemmingway, Evesham, pleaded guilty at Worcester Magistrates Court to being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control.

Matt Dodson, prosecuting, said the neighbour came home on Saturday, June 19, at 12.30pm.

He said: “The injured party was walking from his car back over the road towards his house. He recognised his neighbour’s dog as he had seen it out on a lead before.

“He was not concerned but as the dog approached, it bit him on the ankle.”

Mr Dodson said that the neighbour told his girlfriend to get back into the car and he ran into the house.

The victim was left with six teeth marks on his ankle – three were deep and three were superficial. He spoke to Mountford, who apologised, before going to hospital in Evesham, where he was given antibiotics.

Mountford, aged 24, said the three-year-old black Staffordshire/labrador cross called Tye was not aggressive.

When interviewed by police, she said: “I saw Tye was out of the garden then saw that he was in the neighbour’s garden. I saw the neighbour kick Tye on his bum.”

Mountford said she did not see the bite but saw the neighbour running into his house. She said: “He is not an aggressive dog. We will build a higher fence around the garden.”

The court was told that police were satisfied that Mountford had taken steps to ensure the matter would not happen again.

Paul Stanley, defending, said Mountford, who is due to give birth to her first child in January, had bought the timber to build a new fence. He said: “It was a one-off unfortunate incident.”

Mountford was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £100 compensation to the victim. She was also ordered to pay £85 in costs.

Magistrates said they were concerned about Mountford having a baby and said she must ensure the dog was kept under control at all times and the garden was secure.