A judge has ordered the destruction of a pet dog after it sank its teeth into a woman’s leg for a full minute.

The shocked victim had been walking along Baird Road in Carlisle, on her way home from work, when the Labrador-staffy cross bit her for no reason, magistrates heard.

At the city’s magistrates court, Julie Ruth Sewell, 42, of Baird Road, Harraby, admitted being the owner of a dog that injured a person while it was dangerously out of control in a public place.

The defendant made an emotional appeal to District Judge Gerald Chalk, asking him to spare the life of her pet.

But after hearing about the frightening attack, he ruled that the dog, called Flex, was dangerous and should be put down.

Pam Ward, prosecuting, said the victim was walking along Baird Road just before 6pm on June 12 when the sound of loud barking prompted her to turn and look behind her.

As she turned to continue walking away, she felt a sharp pain in her thigh. “The dog had hold of her leg for a minute or so,” said Mrs Ward.

“Once it had let go, it jumped up and barked in her face. She raised her hands, fearful that it would bite her face.”

The woman suffered a puncture wound to her thigh, bruising and swelling. Mrs Ward said that police seized the dog after the attack.

The prosecutor said: “The defendant acknowledged that the dog had got out of her garden and she heard the woman shout; ‘oh no!’.

“She told the victim to stop screaming as that would make things worse.”

The defendant said somebody had left the garden gate open which was how the dog had escaped.

Representing herself in court, Sewell said she did not want her pet to be destroyed and that she had always kept dogs. “It was one occasion,” she said.

Judge Chalk told her: “This is a dangerous dog, which was out of control in the community.” He said the defendant would have 28 days in which to lodge an appeal at the city’s crown court against the destruction order.

The judge also imposed a 12-week 8pm to 7am curfew, costs of £85, and told Sewell to pay the victim compensation of £150. As she left court, Sewell told the judge: “That’s absolutely bang out of order!”