Pit bull owner guilty over attack on Newham police officers

The owner of a pit bull which attacked five policemen has been found guilty of three offences of owning a dog dangerously out of control in a public place.

Symieon Robinson-Pierre, 25, of Albert Square, Newham, east London, was convicted under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

The attack took place on 22 March when the officers were raiding the defendant's home.

The dog was shot four times after attempts to subdue it failed.

The trial at Inner London Crown court heard Robinson-Pierre made no attempt to call his animal off.

One officer sobbed as he told the jury how the dog, which attacked a colleague, seemed not to notice the two of them hitting it with their batons.

Members of the public at the scene filmed the attack as they sought refuge on walls and inside a police van.

The jury heard that Mr Robinson-Pierre told police it was "not the dog's fault, you could have knocked, I'd have let you in."

Det Con Tom Boow, who was behind three uniformed PCs - Mark Merritt, Martin Corderoy and Lee Bush - as they forced their way into the house during the raid, told the court that almost as soon as they broke down the door the officers started retreating backwards.

"I heard Martin Corderoy scream, it was the sort of scream you make when something bad has happened," he said.

"Then I saw a dog clamped on to his leg. Martin was screaming. Mark Merritt raised his asp [baton] and put it between the dog's jaws to release the bite on Martin's leg.

"I would estimate it took 20-30 seconds to get it off. It then jumped up and bit on to Mark's forearm.

"The dog was literally hanging off his arm and he was trying to swing his arm around in the hope that the dog would get off him."

Det Con Boow said the dog then bit PC Bush.

Robinson-Pierre has also admitted to possessing a fighting dog. Earlier in the trial the judge cleared him of one count of owning a dog dangerously out of control in a public place.

He will be sentenced on 17 September.