23 March 2012

Dog That Mauled Police Had Attacked Before

A ‘pit bull –type’ dog that attacked five police officers is thought to have been responsible for an attack on a passerby last year.

The dog mauled five officers when the raided an address on Thursday. Scotland Yard admitted it had failed to pick up on intelligence that the animal lived at the address in Albert Square in Newham, east London before they stormed the property.

All five officers required hospital treatment after the attack, with one possibly needing skin grafts on his body.

Two officers remained in hospital overnight but are said to be in a stable condition.

The dog was shot dead at the scene by a marksman from the Metropolitan police's CO19 firearms unit and its owner, a man in his 20s, was arrested for grievous bodily harm and kidnapping.

Following the attack it was discovered officers had previously been sent to the same address to investigate reports that a man had been bitten by a dog in April last year but no arrests were made.

"This allegation was not picked up in the intelligence assessment prior to today's operation, and this now forms part of my review of today's events," said Stephen Watson, police commander for northeast London.

Dog bite incidents in the UK have risen 79% in London and 43% nationally in recent years, according to figures obtained by the Kennel Club.

(H/GK)