Pit bull blocked off entrance to police station

A barking American pit bull-type dog blocked off the entrance to a Black Country police station for more than 40 minutes - lunging at police officers and visitors who tried to get in, a court heard.

The dog's owner had tied it to railings outside Stourbridge police station while he answered bail for another matter, magistrates were told. Father-of-one Kieran Kelly, aged 19, was yesterday ordered to pay more than £2,000 and banned from owning a dog following the drama.

Magistrates also ordered the dog to be destroyed. Kelly, of Richards Park House, Wednesbury, was charged with possession of a fighting dog, found to be an American pit bull-type, in Stourbridge on September 29 last year.

He also faced a charge of possessing an unloaded air pistol in the style of a 9mm silver Walther handgun.

District Judge Graham Wilkinson sentenced him to six months detention suspended for two years for possession of the air gun, along with a three-month curfew, a 12-month supervision order and £200 costs.

For the dangerous dog offence, he ordered Kelly to pay a £140 fine and a £15 victim surcharge, plus £2,000 towards the £4,318 bill paid by the police for kennelling the dog.

Mr Peter Love, prosecuting, told Dudley Magistrates Court that Kelly had admitted guilt at the last minute.

He said Kelly had tied his dog King to the railings outside Stourbridge Police Station to answer bail for another matter, and while he was inside the dog became agitated and started barking, lunging at people.

Pc Keith Evans from the dangerous dog unit told the court: "This dog shut off the police station for at least 40 minutes."

Mr Love said the air pistol had been found days later, on October 6, hidden inside a blue glove beneath the engine of Kelly's car. It was only discovered when officers searched the car after arresting him on suspicion of aggravated burglary a few days before.

Mr Shabeer Qureshi, defending, said Kelly disputed that he was an irresponsible owner.

Kelly added: "My daughter learned to walk holding onto the ears of that dog."

In an earlier hearing, Kelly had claimed he had found the air pistol on the street and put it in his car for safekeeping, a claim Judge Wilkinson called "laughable". On the dog charge, he added: "This is a dangerous dog and there is no way I can spare its life."