A BREEDER was jailed for three months and six of his American bulldogs are facing destruction after a savage attack on another dog and the man walking it on a public path.

Bulldog owner Stephen Potts, who himself was attacked by two of his other dogs resulting in him losing most of an arm, a month earlier, was also given a lifelong ban from owning or keeping dogs.

He is now expected to appeal both his sentence and the destruction order imposed by Judge Christopher Prince, at Durham Crown Court today.

His barrister, Tony Davis, said an appeal will be lodged against the decision that the dogs must be destroyed, as well as, “probably, the sentence”.

The defence has 35 days to lodge an appeal, leaving the six dogs in question, Buster, Frosty, Tara, Gypsy, Bessie, Blue and Tammy, effectively, on canine “death row”.

Judge Prince said the sentences were intended to act as a “deterrent” to any other dog owners who fail to keep their dogs under proper control.

Today’s sentences follow guilty pleas tendered by Potts to six counts of being in charge of dogs that were dangerously out of control, on the second day of his trial on slightly more serious charges at the court, in June.

The 48-year-old defendant, of Coronation Crescent, Low Pittington, near Durham, denied the original seven charges.

All arose after six of his bulldogs, being exercised off their leads, with a farmer’s permission in a field between Pittington and Belmont, attacked a Staffordshire bull terrier and its owner’s father, Lindsay Edwards, on a nearby public walkway.

Mr Edwards, a 64-year-old retired teacher, from Belmont, left the scene covered in blood fearing that his son’s Staffy, Zumo, had been mauled to death by the pack of bulldogs.

The court heard that following lengthy vet’s treatment, Zumo, survived, while Mr Edwards spent three days in hospital suffering bite wounds to his head, legs and arms, and three months to fully recover from the attack.

Potts, who hastily tried to round up the dogs, was heard telling a fellow walker that they would have to “lie” about the incident.

As a result of the attack, on October 21, police impounded all 14 of Potts’ bulldogs, with the kennels’ bill having now mounted to more than £38,000.

The court heard the bill relating to the six dogs implicated in the attack is £15,000.

Tony Davis, mitigating, said Potts was not a professional breeder, but “adored” the dogs, turning to them “for comfort” since the suicide of his son several years ago.

Mr Davis argued that Potts would comply with any restrictions on walking or keeping the dogs in future.

But, passing sentence, Judge Prince said: “I have to have regard for public safety and send out a clear message that dog owners must take all appropriate measures to prevent their dogs being dangerously out of control in a public place.”

The judge said Potts more than anyone, should have been aware of the dangers posed by such imposing dogs after what happened to him, with the attack leading to his right arm being amputated about the elbow, by two of the dogs, exactly a month before the incident which was subject of the charges.

Both dogs involved in that attack were subsequently destroyed.

Following today’s hearing, Judge Prince made no costs order against Potts, given his “limited means”.