A family pet savaged a little girl scarring her for life, a court heard.

Bradford magistrates were told how Diane Mahoney's Alsatian-Japanese Akita crossbreed dog attacked the nine-year-old girl and "dragged her around like a ragdoll".

Yesterday Mahoney, 38, was found guilty of being responsible for a dog that was dangerously out of control in a public place.

Prosecutor Charles McRae told the court that the girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had been at Mahoney's house in Spencer Road, Lidget Green, Bradford, with her brother and mother to have a look at some kittens.

Her brother who described the dog as big and scary went down a snicket to the back of the house while the girl and her mother waited by the front door.

Not knowing that the dog was loose in the back garden her brother reached over the garden gate and opened it.

Giving evidence the girl's mother who cannot be named to protect the identity of her daughter, described how the dog shot through the gate. She said: "He just went over and attacked her and started dragging her around like a ragdoll."

The dog bit the youngster, who had done nothing to provoke it, on the back of the knee as she tried to run away. Her mum tried to get the dog off but it would not let go.

Eventually the youngster was freed but was left with a nasty gash that exposed the bone and muscle. She was taken to hospital and had plastic surgery but has been left scarred for life, the court was told.

In a statement read to the court the young victim said: "I'm now terrified of dogs. Even when they're on a lead I stand on the spot and start to shake."

Mahoney had denied the charge with her solicitor Rashid Majid arguing that the attack had taken place in a private not public place.

But the magistrates disagreed and bench chairman Granville Dobson said there was now the potential that the dog could be destroyed.

Mahoney said that she had not seen the incident but had heard the girl's mother saying "get off". She has now put up a sign on her gate saying "beware of the dog".

Mahoney was due to be sentenced later today.