Castlemilk man denies being in charge of a "dangerously out of control" dog

A five-year-old boy was rushed to hospital after being allegedly mauled by a dog, a court’s been told.

The child suffered a facial wound after an incident with the Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Rocky.

Jurors heard how a towel used to tend to the injury was "crimson and covered in blood".

The evidence was heard at the trial of James Paterson at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

He is alleged to have been in charge of Rocky at his house in the city's Castlemilk last July.

Prosecutors claim the dog was "dangerously out of control" and did bite the boy on the face.

It is stated the child was hurt to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

The 56 year-old denies the charge.

It is claimed the incident occurred in Paterson's garden.

PC Callan Cuthbert told how he found the boy had a wound that ran from his cheek to his nose.

The child was taken by ambulance to the city's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

The officer quizzed Paterson about the alleged attack.

Jurors heard the boy was with Paterson and others in the front garden.

PC Cuthbert: “Mr Paterson told me the dog had been agitated because it had been warm.

“He said the boy had been jumping on the dog’s back and he had told him a number of times to stop.

“The boy continued and the dog growled at him and bit him, lashed out and stood over him.”

The dog was then locked in the back garden.

Jurors were told Paterson was looking after the dog, which belonged to his daughter.

PC Cuthbert said he spoke to the boy’s mother, who was also at the house.

Prosecutor Adele MacDonald asked the officer if the woman wanted Paterson prosecuted.

He replied: “No, she wasn’t supportive of that.”

Asked whether the mother was supportive of the dog being returned to Paterson, PC Cuthbert replied: “She was.”

Also attending at the house was PC Jamie Peacock, 30.

He told jurors: "Everyone in the living room was in a state of distress - it was manic and chaos."

PC Peacock believed the full attention had diverted from the child towards what was going to happen to the dog.

He said: "When we told them we had to take the dog, Renee became quite aggressive and refused access to the back garden and that we wouldn't be taking him anywhere and she would be keeping him."

A dog unit was sent for that took Rocky to kennels at Govan Police Office.

PC Peacock was concerned about Rocky in the kennels.

He said: "I'm a dog lover, and several days later, on nightshift, I walked him out of kindness of the dog, this was in the back of Govan Police Office."

The trial continues before Sheriff Alan Mackenzie tomorrow.