Victoria Burton's Staffordshire Bull Terrier Nala escaped from her home in Annandale Crescent, in the West View area of Hartlepool, and attacked Joan Holland, 50, who was walking her own dog.

Hartlepool magistrates heard how the eight-year-old bitch fled from the house when one of Burton's children opened the door to put some rubbish in the bin outside, at around 5pm on December 1, last year, as reported at the time by the Mail.

Unbeknown to Burton – who had a broken leg and was unable to get out of a chair – the dog had run around the corner into Davison Drive and headed straight for Mrs Holland, who was walking her Jack Russell terrier.

Prosecutor Vivien Turner said the dog walker went to pick up her pet, but suffered a bite to the hand in doing so. Mrs Holland sought medical attention, but did not require any stitches to the wound, and was given a tetanus injection. The Jack Russell was unhurt.

The first Burton knew of the incident was at 4pm the next day when the victim turned up at her house, showed the bite marks and demanded the dog be destroyed.

Mrs Turner said: "Victoria Burton is the owner of the dog which was in the house and escaped when a child opened the front door.

"When asked about the incident she said it was a one-off accident. She said 'I will leave her in the cage from now on as I'm scared she will get out again'."

Magistrates heard the victim had been left stressed by the incident and finds it difficult to sleep.

Mitigating, Neil Taylor, Nala had been a family pet for eight years and nothing like this had ever happened before.

"This was a one-off accident," he said. "There have been nips and arguments with three other dogs over food within the family home, but no aggression.

"The dog had been taken to the vets to be spayed and just prior to this incident had returned home, so it was probably still suffering the effects of that operation.

"Just to make things really difficult in the household my client had a broken leg and on the day in question was at home with the children and the dogs.

"One child went to put something in the bin and the dog got out. Ordinarily my client would get up, call the dog and she would come in. On this occasion though she couldn't get up.

"She called her boyfriend who lives round the corner to go and get the dog, and within that short time the incident occurred."

Chairman of the magistrates bench Sidney Taylor fined Burton £75, ordered her to pay £350 compensation, £60 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Burton, who pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog that was dangerously out of control, must also ensure it is muzzled and kept on a lead in all public places.