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American bulldog breeder Stephen Potts jailed over dog attack American bulldog breeder Stephen Potts jailed over dog attack
(35 minutes later)
A breeder of American bulldogs who lost an arm after being savaged by his own pets has been jailed after his animals attacked a 63-year-old man. A breeder of American bulldogs who lost an arm after being savaged by his own pets has been jailed over an attack by his animals on a 63-year-old man.
Stephen Potts, 48, from Low Pittington, County Durham, had denied seven charges relating to the attack on Lindsay Edwards and his dog Zuma in October. Dogs owned by Stephen Potts, 48, bit Lindsay Edwards, leaving him with wounds so deep his skull was exposed.
He went on trial at Durham Crown Court but on the second day admitted six reviewed counts. The attack in Belmont, County Durham, in October, happened weeks after Potts had been savaged by two of his own dogs and had to have an arm amputated.
He has been jailed for three months and banned from owning dogs for life. He was jailed for three months at Durham Crown Court.
The court heard Mr Edwards, 63, was bitten on his calf and head, and Zuma "heavily mauled". Potts, from Low Pittington, County Durham, had denied seven charges of owning dangerously out of control dogs.
The attack happened three weeks after Potts was attacked by two of his own dogs and as a result his right arm had to be amputated. However, on the second day of his trial he admitted six lesser charges of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control in a public place.
Those animals were later destroyed. 'We will have to lie'
Potts had denied seven charges of owning dangerously out of control dogs but later pleaded guilty to six lesser charges of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control in a public place. He was also banned from owning dogs for life.
Judge Christopher Prince, describing it as "about as bad a case as one can get", said: "You were quite willing to place members of the public at risk of equal or more severe injuries you had suffered yourself just four weeks earlier." During the attack on him, Mr Edwards was also bitten on the calf, with the wounds going down to the muscle, and his dog Zuma was "heavily mauled".
The court heard that as the attack was taking place, Potts had been on the phone and was recorded saying "we will have to lie about this".
His pack of bulldogs were off their leads at the time.
Judge Christopher Prince, describing it as "about as bad a case as one can get", told Potts: "You were quite willing to place members of the public at risk of equal or more severe injuries you had suffered yourself just four weeks earlier.
"I do not want someone to say if only Judge Prince had sentenced that man to prison, that man whose dog attacked my child might have kept it under control."I do not want someone to say if only Judge Prince had sentenced that man to prison, that man whose dog attacked my child might have kept it under control.
"If I were to suspend it I would fail to deter other persons from behaving like you did and therefore failing in my public duty to protect the public and prevent further injuries in future." "You knew that these dogs were capable of aggressive behaviour leading to serious injuries. Not only did you know it, but who could have known that better than you?"
The animals that attacked Potts, causing him to lose his arm, were destroyed and were not the ones involved in the attack on Mr Edwards.