A BOURNEMOUTH man has been found guilty of being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog after it bit another dog at Poole Bus Station.

Shane Brock, 21, appeared at Bournemouth Magistrates' Court charged under the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act after a large bull mastiff cross breed he was walking for a friend attacked a small Bichon Frise in an alleyway at the bus station on June 5 2013.

Giving evidence to the court on Monday Richard Edwards, the owner of the small dog, who had been holidaying in Poole at the time, told the court he had seen “a brown flash” moving towards them and then heard “a scream, like a baby crying.”

He said the dog had his pet, Bella, “by the rear end, and had her up in the air, violently shaking her, almost like a rag doll.”

The court heard Brock punched the dog, Lucy, twice in the head to get her to release the other animal, and Mr Edwards kicked the dog around the face before it finally let go. Bella suffered gaping puncture wounds and was seen by the vet seven times that month.

Mr Edwards told the court he then feared the dog would attack him. “Its mouth was open and it went to bite my calf area,” he added. He said he turned away and the “huge dog” hit his leg, pushing him into the wall where he grazed his elbow.

But the defence suggested Mr Edwards’ dog Bella, had been the aggressor, barking and nipping the larger animal, and that Mr Edwards had lost his balance and fallen after kicking the dog.

In giving his verdict District Judge Stephen Nicholls said the incident “took everybody by surprise,” He added: “I am satisfied that Lucy did bite Bella and in doing so was dangerously out of control in a public place.”

The owner of the dog Fiona Fowler, 41, was also charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act but found not guilty. Both Miss Fowler and Brock were also charged with being in possession of a dog listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act, but found not guilty after the District Judge was not satisfied the animal was a pit bull type dog following evidence from expert witnesses.

The fate of the dog, which was seized by police in July 2013, has yet to be decided. So far kennel costs have reached £12,461. Sentencing will be at Bournemouth Magistrates' Court on May 11.