The owner of a Staffordshire bull terrier condemned for attacking another dog and its owner said it regularly played with her children.

But the status of Nahla as a loved family pet did not save her from a judge’s destruction order.

At Carlisle's Magistrates' Court, Lee Coates, 31, of Raiselands Road, Morton, Carlisle, admitted being in charge of Nahla when she was dangerously out of control in a public place.

District Judge Gerald Chalk was told the dog did not belong to Coates, who was walking it on the playing field at Richardson Street, Longsowerby, for the owner Shona Blair.

Coates was talking to another dog walker, a short distance from the owner's address, when he heard a squeal, prosecutor Peter Kelly told the court.

Coates turned around to see Nahla fighting with a cockapoo.

Coates quickly ran over to separate the dogs as the owner of the cockpoo tried to part them.

But the “Staffy” had a firm hold of the other dog, with its jaws clamped on the cockapoo's neck, said Mr Kelly.

The small dog had emergency veterinary treatment while its owner received hospital treatment for a bite.

Judge Chalk heard that Coates, who tried desperately to separate the dogs, had immediately offered to pay for the cockapoo's treatment.

Anthony Wilson, for Coates, described the case as sad, explaining Coates was walking the dog for a female friend but it was off the lead when it bit the other dog.

When he shouted for the Staffordshire bull terrier to go home, the dog meekly did as it was told. There had never been any problems before.

He said the dog's owner had let Nahla play with her four young children and there were no-problems. Miss Blair sat at the back of the court during the hearing.

She was asked by the judge if she had any objections to a destruction order being made, and tearfully replied: “No, I don’t.”

Coates was fined £150 for being in charge of a dog that was out of control in public, and was told to pay compensation for the injured dog to cover the veterinary bill, amounting to £1,021.

The cockapoo's owner lives in London.

Police will organise Nahla's destruction on behalf her owner.