A teenager has appeared in court after his dog escaped and caused serious injury to a woman as she battled to save her own pet.
Elizabeth Duffield spent five days in hospital following the attack near her own home in Golcar on March 13, 2014.
The 54-year-old was left with horrific hand injuries and facing the ordeal of extensive surgery to repair the damage.
On Tuesday Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard how children came to the aid of the struggling woman, using sticks to try and beat the dog off her during the frightening incident on Lilac Walk.
Billy Furey, 19, pleaded guilty to owning a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury.
District Judge Michael Fanning indicated that he would order the destruction of the dog.
However the pet, described by Mrs Duffield as a pit bull-type breed, has not yet been found.
Mrs Duffield’s Jack Russell named Buster was attacked by Furey’s dog after it escaped from a family member’s garden.
Sarah Marsh, prosecuting, said: “The defendant’s younger brother, who was 14, was left with the dog and it got out of the garden.
“The complainant was walking her dog along the road on a lead when she saw the defendant’s dog coming over.
“She picked up her dog but then dropped it as it struggled.
“The two dogs started to fight and the complainant tried to separate them.”
The court was told that Furey’s dog bit Mrs Duffield before turning to fight with her pet again.
Ms Marsh said: “Local children were trying to hit the dogs with sticks and somebody used their crutches to try and separate the dogs.”
Judge Fanning was told that Mrs Duffield was left with an open wound close to her wrist, had to have surgeries to repair the wound and was then referred to a plastic surgeon.
Shortly after the attack she told the Examiner how she had to undergo three operations to save her fingers.
Ms Marsh said that since her ordeal she has suffered from anxiety, scaring to hand and finding it difficult to hold things sometimes.
Furey’s solicitor said that the attack happened when his client, of Elmfield Avenue in Golcar, was aged only 16 and he has not seen the dog since.
Judge Fanning ordered a probation report before sentencing the teenager, adding that he will probably make a destruction order for the dog.
Furey also stands to be sentenced for the handling of a £8,000 car stolen from an address in the town on September 11.
Five days later police stopped him as he drove the car without a licence or insurance on Riddings Road in Sheepridge.
Furey in a panic reversed the Mazda into a police vehicle behind him and got stuck.
