A dangerous dog that savaged a family pet while off its lead is to be put down, after magistrates ordered its destruction. The dog, a Staffordshire bull terrier, tore into one of two Yorkshire terriers, which were being walked by their owners on Great Yarmotuh seafront.

The Staffordshire, called Sam, grabbed the Yorkie by the throat and shook it until it was dead in the incident earlier this month, a court heard today. The owner of the Staffordshire, 52-year-old Jannette Wise of Victoria Road, Great Yarmouth, wept in the dock as Yarmouth magistrates told her her pet must be put down. Chairman of the bench Darren Gilkes said: 'We have looked at the dog's temperament and cannot be sure it will not hurt somebody else.' Josephine Jones, prosecuting, read victim impact statements from the Yorkshire terrier owners, which stated one of them had been afraid to leave the house since the incident, which happened on December 4. Miss Jones told the magistrates they had 'no choice' but to order the Staffordshire's destruction. Richard Mann, mitigating, said: 'She is hugely apologetic. She is a dog-lover and had agreed to take the dog on from upstairs neighbours. It is my understanding it was not walked enough, if at all.' The dog had been in Wise's possession for between five and six months. Wise was given a 12-month community order, and required her to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity.

Norfolk Police are to be awarded £300 in compensation for time they looked after the dog.