A STAFFORDSHIRE Bull Terrier bit a six-year-old boy on the arm as he tried to cycle into a park, a court heard.

The youngster, who was with a 13-year-old disabled friend in a motorised wheelchair, was attacked as he rode past the pet dog, which was on a lead but unmuzzled, Bradford Crown Court was told today.

The court heard that the dog's owner, 44-year-old Samantha Norman, normally put a muzzle on her pet, Diesel, when she took him for a walk, but on this occasion she could not find it.

Prosecutor George Hazel-Owram said the boy and his friend were about to enter the park, off Aygill Avenue in Chellow Grange, Bradford, when they saw Norman and her dog partially blocking the entrance.

The complainant asked if he could get past but the defendant did not appear to hear.

Mr Hazel-Owram said: "The complainant tried to ride past them and as he did the dog jumped up and bit him on the left side around the waist. He fell off the bike and began crying. He was bleeding."

The prosecutor said Norman did not say anything, took hold of the dog and walked away to her address nearby in Aygill Avenue.

A relative of the teenager went to help the boy who was pale, scared, in shock and could not stop crying. He had suffered one bite with three puncture wounds and a strip of skin was missing.

The defendant was seen hiding in her garden with her dog.

Mr Hazel-Owram said the boy was taken to hospital and a surgical procedure was carried out. His kidney had been punctured but he had made a full physical recovery.

The dog was removed from the house and had been kept in kennels since the incident, on July 13.

Norman told police the eight-year-old dog was not dangerous and had not bitten anyone before. She usually put a muzzle on him but had not been able to find it.

Her solicitor advocate, Andrew Walker, said his client had not heard the complainant approaching from behind and the dog was surprised by someone going past in a confined area.

Norman had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Magistrates had committed her to the crown court for sentence.

Judge Colin Burn imposed a 12-month community order, with a 15-day low level activity. He ordered Norman to pay £60 towards the cost of keeping Diesel in the kennels, and a £60 Victim Surcharge.

The judge imposed a contingent destruction order on the dog, meaning that Norman would have to keep it muzzled in public and tethered when in her garden.

He added: "If the matter was brought back because of a further incident it would almost certainly mean a full destruction order."