Japanese Akita dog escapes death sentence

10:51am Tuesday 2nd October 2012 in News

Paul Ward and Samson Paul Ward and Samson

A HAMPSHIRE dog responsible for savagely attacking a string of victims has been spared a death sentence.

It has been a year of “hell” for owner Paul Ward, who has not known if his beloved Japanese Akita cross-breed named Samson would live or die.

But Southampton Crown Court has ruled that the eight-year-old dog, which left a four-year-old boy with cuts to his leg, can live to see another day as long as he wears a muzzle whenever he goes out in public.

The ruling has come as a huge relief for the 50-year-old, of Laundry Road, in Shirley Warren, who always insisted that Samson, who he affectionately calls “his baby”, never deserved to die.

Mr Ward said: “It has been 15 months of hell, not knowing whether Samson was going to live or die.

“It has been terrible leaving him in the morning and saying goodbye, not being able to tell him if he is going to be here tomorrow.

“He is just a normal dog and this all happened because of the circumstances we were forced into at the time. We were homeless and all we had was the caravan. We didn’t want to be there but we had no choice.

“Now we are in a house which has 6ft metal fencing around the garden so he is safe there and he has plenty of room to run around.”

As previously reported in the Daily Echo, Mr Ward was given a three-month suspended sentence for 12 months when he admitted two counts of owning a dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control in a public place.

One of the victims, bailiff Timothy Walker, 62, needed 37 stitches after being mauled when he attempted to evict Mr Ward outside Chilworth Science Park, in February 2011.

Hours after the attack police and dog wardens ordered Mr Ward to muzzle Samson and to keep him under control in public. A month later 17-year-old student Harry Barron was bitten on his hand, when Mr Ward’s caravan was pitched on a grass verge in Bracken Place, Chilworth. Since then Samson has had a destruction order hanging over his head but Judge Nigel Pascoe ruled that as long as the dog wears a muzzle whenever he is out in public, Mr Ward could keep him.

Mr Walker, whose hand is now seven per cent disabled, said: “I have never had anything against the dog. I have always said that if the dog could be saved that would be the best outcome.

“But I do think Mr Ward has got off lightly and if his record is anything to go by, I wonder how long it will last before someone else is attacked.”

Comments(37)

Cerdicjute says...
11:12am Tue 2 Oct 12

'Six foot metal fencing around the garden so he is safe'? Sounds like it is the public who are safer not this apparently vicious mutt. Apologist dog owners like this muppet are the ones in need of euthanasia.

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freefinker says...
11:26am Tue 2 Oct 12

.. ALL dogs should be muzzled in ALL public places.

End of problem.

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long memory says...
12:05pm Tue 2 Oct 12

No sign of remorse for the victims from the dog owner,why does that not surprise me.Agree with freefinker,all dogs should be muzzled and also be on a lead at all times when in public.

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George4th says...
12:10pm Tue 2 Oct 12

So, if the dog bites again, who do we sue?
>
Hey, but don't worry, the NHS will repair the damage.
>
I'm sure the many who dislike or are afraid of dogs will be dismayed at this turn of events - it is madness!

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Inform Al says...
12:30pm Tue 2 Oct 12

If he is as irresponsible a dog owner as it would appear, it will not be long before the mutt is seen out without a muzzle. It would be nice to think that the Old Bill will then take action before someone else is bitten.

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elvisimo says...
12:50pm Tue 2 Oct 12

freefinker wrote:
.. ALL dogs should be muzzled in ALL public places. End of problem.
more approporiate for a large proportion of Southamptons residents to be muzzled.

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dommyball says...
1:00pm Tue 2 Oct 12

if the dog had been a staffy it would have been given the death sentence by now...probably.

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sameoldscene says...
1:02pm Tue 2 Oct 12

I wonder who will be next to be mauled?

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townieboy says...
1:03pm Tue 2 Oct 12

freefinker wrote:
.. ALL dogs should be muzzled in ALL public places. End of problem.
Cant agree more. Muzzled and on a lead at all times.

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Chet Rico says...
1:09pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Wonder if the mutt attacked with the cry of Banzai ! In all seriousness however if it happens again the dog must be put down. We have all heard of young kids being attacked and killed by vicious unsupervised or otherwise dogs in the past. If the owner just happens to forget or cant be bothered to muzzle it on walks i fear the worst for some poor sole.

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Ted Rogers says...
1:13pm Tue 2 Oct 12

All young men between the ages of 16 and 24 should be on a curfew between 8pm and 7am as some young men of that age are burglars.

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elvisimo says...
1:14pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Ted Rogers wrote:
All young men between the ages of 16 and 24 should be on a curfew between 8pm and 7am as some young men of that age are burglars.
brilliant!!

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Inform Al says...
1:14pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Ted Rogers wrote:
All young men between the ages of 16 and 24 should be on a curfew between 8pm and 7am as some young men of that age are burglars.
And muzzled?

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Stillness says...
1:23pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Chet Rico wrote:
Wonder if the mutt attacked with the cry of Banzai ! In all seriousness however if it happens again the dog must be put down. We have all heard of young kids being attacked and killed by vicious unsupervised or otherwise dogs in the past. If the owner just happens to forget or cant be bothered to muzzle it on walks i fear the worst for some poor sole.
The dog only bites people on the foot then?

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RedDan says...
1:44pm Tue 2 Oct 12

freefinker wrote:
.. ALL dogs should be muzzled in ALL public places.

End of problem.
Agreed, then lets make all cats wear gloves just incase they scratch, all humans wear steel underwear incase they are a rapist, as well as fingerless gloves incase they shoot someone.

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roofspace says...
1:49pm Tue 2 Oct 12

The dog should be dead - end of story.
Why?
Because "Hours after the attack police and dog wardens ordered Mr Ward to muzzle Samson and to keep him under control in public."
What did he do - did he comply knowing he owned a dog that aggressively bit people - did he ****, he carried on his own sweet way.
He should be in Winchester prison.

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Chet Rico says...
1:49pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Stillness says...
1:23pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Chet Rico wrote:
Wonder if the mutt attacked with the cry of Banzai ! In all seriousness however if it happens again the dog must be put down. We have all heard of young kids being attacked and killed by vicious unsupervised or otherwise dogs in the past. If the owner just happens to forget or cant be bothered to muzzle it on walks i fear the worst for some poor sole.
The dog only bites people on the foot then?

Bit of a freudian slip there. Still it could have been more painful ie are****

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Inform Al says...
2:15pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Stillness wrote:
Chet Rico wrote:
Wonder if the mutt attacked with the cry of Banzai ! In all seriousness however if it happens again the dog must be put down. We have all heard of young kids being attacked and killed by vicious unsupervised or otherwise dogs in the past. If the owner just happens to forget or cant be bothered to muzzle it on walks i fear the worst for some poor sole.
The dog only bites people on the foot then?
No, fish in the Solent.

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murfmeister says...
2:17pm Tue 2 Oct 12

so he's got a new place now right next to southampton hospital! At least his next victim wont have far to go to casualty!

All dogs should be muzzled out in public then toddlers dont run the risk of horrific injuries and being scarred for life. It's always the same old story from the owners "he's so soft and he's never done that before"

Tougher sentences for irresponsible owners too

Dont give them the chance to ruin lives

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Inform Al says...
2:29pm Tue 2 Oct 12

I was given my 1st dog, a shetland sheepdog, on my 13th birthday with the clear understanding that both me and the dog attended training sessions. It became very evident that in reality it was I that was being trained. I have with my own family had German shepherds who because I was properly trained never even came close to being a threat to either my children, or to those outside. It is not the dogs that need to be muzzled, it's the owners that need to be trained, or sometimes locked up. I do believe however that a dog that escapes the death penalty should do so only on the understanding that it will be immediately rehomed.

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Mr Price says...
3:00pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Yea let him off again and then when he kills a young kid..we can all say didn't see that coming......ALL dogs should have a muzzle on in public places regardless of size or breed.

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BenjiWinsor says...
3:01pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Talk of uses of Church halls and out comes the religious haters, talk of one dog that has bitten and out come the cynophobics ... unleashed

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Stillness says...
3:11pm Tue 2 Oct 12

BenjiWinsor wrote:
Talk of uses of Church halls and out comes the religious haters, talk of one dog that has bitten and out come the cynophobics ... unleashed
Only Catholic dogs should have to be muzzled, like some of their priests lol.

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Inform Al says...
3:19pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Stillness wrote:
BenjiWinsor wrote:
Talk of uses of Church halls and out comes the religious haters, talk of one dog that has bitten and out come the cynophobics ... unleashed
Only Catholic dogs should have to be muzzled, like some of their priests lol.
Do Catholioc dogs pee with the left paw cocked.

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The Grinch says...
3:41pm Tue 2 Oct 12

In all seriousness this is madness again.

As a previous poster has indicated, there are all the indications here of an irresponsible dog owner in control of a dog that has attacked people. The worst combination - a combination that should have this dog removed and the owner banned from gettng any others.

A hard line should be taken and a message sent out.

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Stillness says...
4:27pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Inform Al wrote:
Stillness wrote:
BenjiWinsor wrote:
Talk of uses of Church halls and out comes the religious haters, talk of one dog that has bitten and out come the cynophobics ... unleashed
Only Catholic dogs should have to be muzzled, like some of their priests lol.
Do Catholioc dogs pee with the left paw cocked.
Only got Buddhist dogs here at the moment, and no they don't P with their legs crossed.

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Maine Lobster says...
4:35pm Tue 2 Oct 12

sameoldscene wrote:
I wonder who will be next to be mauled?
Quite! "A string of victims..." Unbelievable the courts can let this dangerous animal live. Will it take the maming of a child before this public threat is removed?

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egghead65 says...
8:12pm Tue 2 Oct 12

should of been put down.it will keep thinking its top dog till it kills someone.the police shot a dog not to long ago for doing the same thing

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Stillness says...
8:21pm Tue 2 Oct 12

egghead65 wrote:
should of been put down.it will keep thinking its top dog till it kills someone.the police shot a dog not to long ago for doing the same thing
Shame you missed out on an education.
Could you please explain why a "top dog" would only think that it is " top dog" until it kills someone? What do you know about dogs? What is a "top dog"? Why would a pack animal even want to be "top dog"?
Come on egghead (how ironic), try thinking before you type.

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tigger87 says...
9:50pm Tue 2 Oct 12

I agree that the all dogs should be muzzled, but it shouldn't be put down. We don't put down humans who harm others! Why do this to a dog? I feel for the victims and I hope that the dog doesn't attack any more people. Also the owner should have the dog taken away from him and a lifetime ban given to stop him having any more animals.

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WobblyCat says...
4:11am Wed 3 Oct 12

I got bit on the @rse whilst out jogging recently, the owners response to my indignation, 'you need to shout at him.' I love dogs but their owners can be dangerous!!

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fcuk_miss says...
10:48am Wed 3 Oct 12

This is obviously not a one off; "the dog was scared and felt threatened", this dog has repeatedly attacked people and went undisciplined, as a result the dog has learnt this kind of behavior and will continue to attack people unless he learns that that behavior is unacceptable. Based on the fact he didn't before, I don't think Paul Ward is the kind of dog owner who will take responsibility and make sure his dog is not a danger to the public, even though he's been given a second chance to do so.

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PepsiiColla says...
1:27pm Fri 5 Oct 12

freefinker wrote:
.. ALL dogs should be muzzled in ALL public places.

End of problem.
Not all dogs are the same, as not all humans are the same. Can't judge all because of ones actions.
I understand keeping dogs on lead, even friendly dogs (I own a golden retriever and he is one of the most laid back dogs you could meet) but why put a muzzle on them all? Why punish all dogs cos a few people can't train or control theirs?

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egghead65 says...
1:45pm Sat 6 Oct 12

Stillness wrote:
egghead65 wrote:
should of been put down.it will keep thinking its top dog till it kills someone.the police shot a dog not to long ago for doing the same thing
Shame you missed out on an education.
Could you please explain why a "top dog" would only think that it is " top dog" until it kills someone? What do you know about dogs? What is a "top dog"? Why would a pack animal even want to be "top dog"?
Come on egghead (how ironic), try thinking before you type.
you dont know dogs then do you,you stupid little man.are you playing with yourself when you type something.well type on this

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jellybe says...
9:21pm Sun 7 Oct 12

what a happy ending,im so glad the dog is safe.

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Ulysses 31 says...
3:28pm Thu 11 Oct 12

If ALL dogs should be muzzled because a few people cant control their dogs then ALL people should be banned from getting drunk as I have seen more violence and attacks caused by humans under the influence of alcohol than i have of anyone being attacked by a dog. In fact I have seen more attacks and violent behaviour by humans who are not even drunk, we are the dangerous ones! One thing i do agree with though is that dogs should be kept on leads, its safer for the dog and better for people who are nervous about dogs and I also think that someone should not be allowed to have a dog unless they can show they can and will control it. My mums guide dog is very well behaved and any dog can be like that if it is trained well.

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ottred says...
4:09pm Fri 12 Oct 12

I can't understand why the echo feels the need to mention he was living in a caravan in chilworth, what does it matter where the caravan was parked up in relation to the story? Unless of course the dog was guarding the caravan...

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