Fine for Gerald Carter who hid dog after attack on girl

Published: 12 February 2010
by RÓISÍN GADELRAB

AN UNEMPLOYED man who hid a dog from police after it allegedly attacked a three-year-old girl has been fined.

Gerald Carter, 22, from the Bemerton estate, in Barnsbury, pleaded guilty at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to wilfully obstructing a police officer.

He was said to have taken a dog sought by police from a home on the estate in December last year.

The bull terrier was believed to have bitten three-year-old Zara Tarout at Dunoon House on the Bemerton estate earlier that day and formed part of a police investigation. Police have since seized the pet, which is being kept in kennels pending court proceedings.

Prosecuting, Derek Sammi told the court: “When London Ambulance Service attended, the defendant was seen to arrive and walk into one of the addresses, emerge with one of the dogs and walk down Caledonian Road.”

Later, he told police he no longer had the dog. “He was advised how serious the injuries were,” said Mr Sammi.

Police later found the dog at Mr Carter’s father’s house, although his father claimed he was “unaware” of earlier events. 

Mr Sammi said Mr Carter “lied to the police about the dog’s whereabouts”.

The court was told that Mr Carter, who had not worked since undertaking an Islington Council apprenticeship in 2008, was “truly sorry and remorseful about his actions”.

Chairman of the bench District Judge Timothy Aherne re­minded Mr Carter that the offence was “aggravated by the fact that you knew something had happened and deliberately took the dog away”. Mr Carter was ordered to pay a total of £200 in fines and costs.

• MAGISTRATES refused an application to withhold the identity of the alleged dog bite victim after representatives from the Press argued that her family had already been interviewed and photographed in newspapers.

A reporter from Central News Agency said that any banning order would be irrelevant, given the fact that reports have already appeared in print and online.

Refusing to make the order, Mr Aherne said: “The mother’s taken steps to ensure [the details] are in the public domain.”

• A WOMAN appeared before Highbury magistrates on Tuesday accused of having a dog dangerously out of control.

Doris Carter, 59, of Dunoon House, Bemerton estate, Barnsbury, did not enter a plea. Her case was referred to the crown court. 

She will appear for a committal hearing on March 23.