The case of a man whose dog “went wild” and bit a potential Gumtree buyer has been delayed again due to a stalemate over whether he warned the woman about a previous attack.
Sheedy Rashid should have been sentenced last month after admitting his shar pei bit the 24-year-old to her severe injury at his Dundee home in August 2012.
An agreed summary of evidence had been presented to the court but, in a subsequent social work report, Rashid insisted he had told the woman that the dog had previously tried to bite him when he attempted to put a muzzle on it.
Sheriff Lorna Drummond deferred sentence twice to allow the victim to be contacted but a hearing yesterday revealed the issue has still to be resolved.
David Duncan, defending, said: “This morning I was given what is loosely described as a statement. This statement is riddled with hearsay. The statement says a lot of things but does not address the specific question it was asked.”
Fiscal depute Douglas Wiseman told the court: “My colleague spoke to the complainer who stated it was competely false that she was warned about the dog.
“The accused told her he was moving house and had a back injury and could no longer look after it. She would not have gone near it if she knew it had bitten someone.”
Mr Duncan responded that the point “would not be conceded” and a proof in mitigation, which is expected to hear evidence from both Rashid and the woman, was set for February 3.
Sheriff Drummond told Mr Wiseman and Mr Duncan: “There is an agreed narrative that does not address the question I asked.”
The court heard previously that the woman was left with permanent scarring and nerve damage and now feels “physically sick” at the sight of dogs after the shar pei tried to drag her by the arm.
Rashid bought the dog in August 2012 from a man who was selling it because it had bitten his young son.
After buying the dog Rashid was preparing to take it for a walk and it tried to bite his right hand.
The previous owner refused to take it back so Rashid put the dog up for sale on Gumtree and later that day the woman visited Rashid’s home to see the animal.
The court heard that the woman had to punch the dog, which was subsequently destroyed, before it would release her from its grip.