A dog owner has been branded "cowardly" by a judge after it emerged he ran off when his pet bit an innocent man. Allan Gibson, 38, ran off down a Middlesbrough street after his dog "Ken" attacked the victim, who was taking his grandson to a football match.

The man protected his grandson from the Shar-Pei cross, but he was bitten on the arm. Teesside Crown Court heard that Gibson ran down St George's Road West, in Grangetown , without making any effort to help the injured man, on October 5 last year. The victim had puncture wounds to his arm and was treated in hospital.

Ken was taken to police kennels, where experts assessed the level of risk he posed. The pet was later put to sleep - and Gibson was charged £5,000 for Ken's upkeep prior to that.

On Tuesday, Gibson appeared in court

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