Owner sentenced for dog 'pack attack' on woman

The court heard a woman suffered multiple bite wounds to her hands and fingers and needed plastic surgery

A woman whose three German shepherd-cross dogs attacked a woman in a playing field and mauled a small dog to death has been given a 12-month suspended sentence.

Sarah Pike, 51, from Exeter, admitted being the owner in charge of dogs dangerously out of control that caused injury in December at Exwick playing fields, in Exeter, when the animals were off their leads.

Pike also admitted two other charges on the same day of being the person in charge of dogs dangerously out of control.

Exeter Magistrates' Court heard the prosecutor describe the situation as a "pack attack" and that the injured woman had suffered multiple bite wounds to her hands and fingers which required plastic surgery.

The Alsatian dogs - Zac, Storm and Nala - were seized by police.

Pike, of Mildmay Close, Exeter, was handed a 12-month suspended jail sentence and ordered to pay £537 compensation to two dog owners involved in the incident.

She has been banned from keeping dogs for five years and the court ordered her dogs to be destroyed.