West Berkshire Magistrates' Court: Thatcham man's suspended prison sentence over danger dog attack in Newbury

A DOG owner has been given a suspended prison sentence and banned from keeping animals after his pet savaged a man.

Haji Khamer Ali was also ordered to pay victim Tom Horridge hundreds of pounds in compensation for his ordeal.

Thirty-eight-year-old Mr Ali, who lives at Derwent Road in Thatcham, was brought before Reading Magistrates on Friday, June 18.

There, he admitted being in charge of a brown and white Japanese Akita dog named Simba which attacked and injured Mr Horridge in a field off Fifth Road, Newbury, on July 26 last year.

Mr Ali, who was legally represented by Gianpaolo Damiani at the hearing, was sentenced to 16 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

The court ruled that a prison sentence, albeit suspended, was necessary because the offence was so serious.

In addition Mr Ali was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work.

Furthermore he was required to pay £85 costs plus a statutory victim services surcharge of £128.

Mr Horridge was awarded £550 in compensation.

Finally, Mr Ali was banned from keeping animals for 18 months.