A dog owner was driven from his home after one of his three rottweilers savaged a child, a court was told yesterday

Paul Dunford,20, claimed that he was threatened by the ten-year-old boy's father and received abuse from neighbours in Middlesbrough, Teesside Crown Court was told.

He had the dog destroyed, and a vet reported that the two other rottweilers were micro-chipped andregularly vaccinated, said Shaun Drydon, defending.

Judge John Walford, who said that the boy was left permanently scarred , told Dunford: "When you have dogs of this type in a city centre you are asking for trouble if you impose no restraints.

"The bites left permanent scarring and no doubt it was a frightening and unpleasant experience".

Ray Priest, prosecuting, told the court that the dog had been running loose near Dunford's home when it followed the youngster into a cul-de-sac.

He tried to climb on to a giant plant pot to escape, but the dog knocked him over and bit his leg.

Dunford of Leven Street, Middlesbrough, was given a conditional discharge of two years and ordered to pay £150 token compensation and £539 costs.

He had admitted being in charge of a dog that caused injury when out of control in a public place on May 30.