Staffy which attacked WPc won't be put down after £4,000 donation

A STAFFORDSHIRE Bull Terrier on death row has been given a reprieve after his owner's legal team raised thousands of pounds.

A judge has released Dre into the care of the Doris Banham Trust, meaning he is no longer at risk of being put down by court order.

The dog attacked Pc Alison Campbell, savaging her arm and biting her twice in the stomach, at her owner's home in Whitleigh in August 2010.

Owner Paula Libbey, aged 35, admitted at Plymouth Crown Court in February to being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury in Newcastle Gardens.

Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk

myprint-247

View details

Print voucher

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

The sentencing judge did not immediately order the dog be destroyed, but instead agreed the trust should look after it with regular reviews at court.

Judge Paul Darlow, at the last of the reviews, agreed that Dre could be formally handed over to the charity after hearing of his progress.

It comes after Libbey's legal team and an animal behaviour expert involved in the case raised about £4,000 for the trust.

Barrister Ali Rafati, who waived his fees, helped raise money with fellow barristers and lawyers and other friends outside the legal profession.

Dr Anne McBride, who examined Dre for the defence team, waived part of her fee and then raised money with her students at Southampton University.

Mr Rafati said the charity would have taken Dre without the donations but added the trust was "on the brink".

He added: "To my knowledge this is the only charity which can help with dogs such as Dre.

"The dog will remain at the trust until such time they think he can rehomed."

Mr Rafati and others have set up direct debits to make regular donations.

Plymouth Crown Court heard at Libbey's sentencing in March that Dre had to be shot by a marksman from Dartmoor Wildlife Park using a tranquilliser dart.

Pc Campbell spent three hours in surgery, her arm wound requiring 29 stitches after the incident.

Libbey was banned from keeping dogs.