A DOG owner has been ordered to keep his dog muzzled after it jumped over the garden wall and bit a pedestrian's face and neck.

Thai, a Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog, leapt the garden wall at his home in Greenland Road, Great Lever, and attacked Dennis Toole, on November 3 last year, Bolton magistrates heard.

Joanne Cronshaw, prosecuting, told the court how Mr Toole had been taking his Collie cross dog, Oscar, for a walk when Thai, who is owned by 34-year-old David Johnson, attacked.

Mr Toole put out his leg to protect his own pet but Thai went behind him and began growling at and biting Oscar.

When Mr Toole tried to lift Thai away, the animal turned round and bit him on the face and neck and he fell to the floor.

Mr Johnson's son arrived on the scene and carried Thai away from Mr Toole.

"He didn't acknowledge or speak to him," said Miss Cronshaw, who added that the victim had no offers of help.

In hospital Mr Toole had steristrips applied to a bite on the right side of his face.

He also suffered a puncture wound on the right side of his neck, a bitten finger and a grazed hand.

"I found it very traumatic, particularly as the owners showed no concern whatsoever.

"They didn't have the common decency to check I was okay," said Mr Toole, in a statement read out in court.

When interviewed by police, Johnson said the dog had escaped from a previous property on a number of occasions and added that he would not consider using a muzzle on the animal.

"He failed to show any remorse, but admitted the offence," said Miss Cronshaw.

Anthony Shimmin, defending, told the court that Thai is usually kept in a back garden, is well cared for and, apart from this incident, has not been aggressive.

Magistrates fined Johnson £175 and ordered him to pay £35 costs plus a £20 victim surcharge.

He must also pay Mr Toole £1,500 compensation.

Chairman of the bench Mark Hardman said he was not ordering the dog to be destroyed immediately on condition that he be muzzled when in the front garden or in public and kept on a lead.

"If the dog bites anybody or does anything like this again, there will be no coming back — the dog will be destroyed immediately," he warned.