Here is news of the successful prosecution of the owner of a dangerous dog. The man, whose pit bull-cross injured pets and their owners in a spate of attacks, has been jailed for 14 weeks but he will serve only half the sentence before being released on licence.

Cameron Mains’ dog, Budweiser, ripped the skin from one man’s hand, causing lasting nerve damage, a court heard. Mains admitted owning a dog dangerously out of control in a public place and to three counts of being the owner of a dog which caused injury. Mains, 39, of Weymouth, Dorset, was banned from owning a dog for five years and Budweiser will be killed.

Judge Christopher Harvey Clark, QC, told said: “I think a message has to go out that allowing a dangerous dog to roam freely and cause injury, fear and distress is something which the court will not tolerate. You behaved with total irresponsibility with regard to other people. You made no serious effort to keep it under control.”

The court heard in one incident, Budweiser had Delena Heslop’s Shihtzu dog, Frankie, in his mouth, damaging its ear. The dog bit Ms Heslop’s arm as she tried to protect her pet on 13 May last year.

The most serious attack happened when the dog raced towards two black Labradors on 5 September last year. The Labradors’ owner grabbed the youngest Labrador by the collar and tried to stand in the way, when Budweiser ripped the skin from his hand. It then took a number of people to pull the dog off one of the Labradors, which had been bitten on the face.

When interviewed by police at the time, Mains “promised” to prevent further attacks.

But on 20 November, Budweiser grabbed a Yorkshire terrier – which was being walked by a 10-year-old boy – by its head and threw it in to a bush.