A DUNFERMLINE pensioner whose Staffordshire Bull Terrier killed another dog during a morning walk has been sentenced.

A 72-year-old woman looked on in horror as her pet was mauled to death in front of her.

The owner of the terrier, 76-year-old Robert Dalton, had lost control of it when it slipped out of its harness and ran off.

Dalton, of Alice Cox Walk, has now been sentenced at Dunfermline Sheriff Court but was unable to attend in person because of health reasons.

He admitted previously that on October 29, 2019, at Harris Place, Dunfermline, he was the owner of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier which was dangerously out of control and that the dog, whilst untethered, unsupervised and unmuzzled, approached a woman and her two dogs and then bit one of the dogs repeatedly, causing fatal injuries, and then it struggled violently with the woman and a man.

Depute fiscal Laura McManus told the court previously that the woman had been taking her two dogs for a walk at around 8am when the incident occurred.

Dalton was also walking his dog and it slipped its harness before running down Marshall Place.

It had then ran up behind the woman and attacked one of her dogs.

The depute went on: “It had hold of the small dog by the throat. The woman picked up her other dog.

The woman then kicked the bull terrier “four or five times” before it let go of her dog, which died shortly afterwards from its injuries.

The depute said she had no details of the breed of the pet which died other than it was a “small dog”.

Defence solicitor Rebecca Jeynes had told the court: “The dog simply slipped her harness and it was a freak incident.

“The harness had only been bought the day before.

“He’s very distraught about the matter. The dog is still living with him but now only gets out in the back garden which is padlocked.”

Dalton had written to the court previously and given details of his dog having a dislike of small dogs after being attacked by one when younger.

Sheriff Charles Macnair fined Dalton £210 and ordered him to pay £700 compensation.

He also issued an order under the Dangerous Dogs Act requiring the animal to be kept on a non-extendable lead not exceeding two metres and also must be muzzled when in a public place.

Any breach of these conditions could lead to the dog being put down.