A Brentwood family whose dog has been living under a possible death sentence for more than a year have been speaking of their relief after a judge decided to spare him.

The lives of the Dines family of Crow Green Road in Pilgrims Hatch were thrown into turmoil in March last year, when their pet greyhound Billy slipped his collar and lashed out at a 11-month-old boxer puppy while out for a walk along Sandpit Lane

The puppy's owner, Christine Nottage from Ongar Road, received horrific facial and hand injuries as both owners desperately struggled to pull the dogs apart, and is likely to be permanently scarred.

Since then, James Dines, his wife Teresa and their children Kelly, 11, Steven, 13 and Richard, 15, have lived through an agonising 13-month wait, not knowing whether their beloved pet would live or die.

But now at last, Billy's future is secure after Southend Crown Court last week decided against having Billy put to sleep.

Mr Dines, 42, pleaded guilty to aggravated failure to keep a dog under proper control under the Dangerous Dogs Act, a charge that gives courts the power to have offending animals destroyed.

After hearing animal behaviour consultant Emma Magnus insist that Billy posed no danger to the public, His Honour Judge Lockhart gave Mr Dines a three year conditional discharge, on condition that Billy should be muzzled in public.

He also ordered Mr Dines to pay £150 costs.

An emotional Mr Dines, who bought Billy for his wife after she suffered a stroke, said: "It's absolutely fantastic, it's just so great that it's over.

"It's been so stressful. To us he is more than a pet, he's a close friend. He's just a docile, placid, laid-back dog.

"The kids have been worrying about this constantly. It would have destroyed them if we had lost him.

"I nearly lost my sanity with the worry of the court case and everything. Now I am just going to go home and give him the biggest hug he has ever had and put the whole episode right behind me."

John Fairhead, prosecuting, told the court that Mr Dines had repeatedly tried to pull the greyhound off the puppy but had eventually admitted to Mrs Nottage: "I can't control him, he's exhausting me."

He went on: "The greyhound then broke lose and attacked Mrs Nottage, who had to let go of the puppy to protect herself."

But Mark Roochove, defending, insisted: "Mr Dines is adamant that the dog did not frenziedly attack Mrs Nottage.

"But he accepts he was unable to control the greyhound."

Juliet Glass from the Fury Defence Fund, which was set up to support dog-owners that fall foul of the Dangerous Dogs Act, also welcomed the decision

Waiting over: Billy pictured after the court hearing with owners James and Teresa Dines.

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