A dog owner has been told to pay £4,500 by a court after his pet savaged a man and left a tendon hanging out of his arm.

But Hereford magistrates ruled that German Shepherd Mowana doesn’t have to be put down as a result of the attack in Ross-on-Wye, after hearing the animal had no previous history of aggression.

Mark Hamblin, prosecuting, said the dog had “locked on” to the victim’s arm as he walked home past the animal and his owner on a narrow path on November 29 2021.

He shouted in pain as the dog bit him, and later claimed that owner Russell Cassidy-Kojima didn’t try to get the dog off.

When he got his arm free, he saw blood ‘spurting’ from it and a tendon hanging through a hole in his sleeve. The victim also said he had suffered psychological issues since.

Steve Langton, defending, said the 41-year-old owner of Raglan Road, Tintern, was devastated, as the pet had no history of aggression and was used to people and other dogs.

Cassidy-Kojima had helped, he said, using his belt as a tourniquet and calling 999.

Magistrates considered their verdict for over an hour, but said that the dog could be spared.

Cassidy-Kojima admitted having a dangerously out of control dog and was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £2,500.