Dog owner issued with restraining order after dog bites member of the public

A dog owner has been issued with a restraining order after his dog bit a member of the public while dangerously out of control.

The order prevents Richard Hignett, 69, of Victory Row, Royal Wootton Bassett, from taking his Border Collie, Trim, to any public place without a lead and a muzzle.

The order lasts until August 7, 2024, and if it is breached then it is an arrestable offence.

The order follows an incident on October 27 last year, in fields near Royal Wootton Bassett, when a woman in her 20s was approached by the Border Collie while walking her own dogs.

The Collie then began barking aggressively at the victim and her dogs. The victim has walked towards the dog to see if she could see a collar with a name or ID tag.

The Collie has then lunged at the victim, clamping its jaw around her arm. The victim was fortunately able to wriggle free, suffering injuries which, while not serious, required hospital treatment.

The victim saw the dog with Hignett a short while later, with Hignett blaming the victim for the incident.

Hignett was identified and officers attended his home address to discuss the incident and suggest a Community Protection Warning to deal with the issue out of court.

However, Hignett refused to engage with the warning and community resolution process, which is voluntary, and said he would ignore any conditions of the warning.

As a result, he was interviewed under caution and subsequently charged with being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control and, whilst out of control, causing injury.

In a court hearing yesterday (07/08), Hignett was issued with the restraining order.

Investigating officer PC Paul Croft said: “Hignett had the opportunity to deal with this matter out of court, however he refused to accept any responsibility for the incident, despite his dog being off a lead and biting a member of the public.

“He is now subject to a restraining order and will be arrestable and put before the courts if he is seen with his dog off a lead in public.

“These orders are important in keeping our local communities safe.

“In public places, you must keep your dog under control. This is ideally on a lead, but if they’re not on a lead then they need to be under control in another way, such as paying attention to your voice commands.

“Remember that it’s a criminal offence to allow your dog to be ‘dangerously out of control’.”