Elton Reservoir: Man let pack of dogs attack couple

The couple had been enjoying an afternoon’s walk at Elton Reservoir on July 8 2020 when they came across Matthew Potter, 31, with his pack of five dogs, none of which were on a lead.

One of his dogs then bit the couple’s dog before they started attacking the owner’s themselves all while Potter himself started threatening them, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Roger Brown, prosecuting, said: “He became incredibly aggressive and was shouting ‘come on if you want to have a go.’”

“He said that the dogs were guard dogs, that they were trained and that if he wanted them to bite they would.”

The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

One of the dogs took the innocent Jack Russell in its mouth while other’s bit Potter’s victims.

The police were called shortly afterwards and Potter, of Longridge Drive, Bury was arrested.

He denied any offences but was picked out of a police line-up by the couple.

A victim impact statement read out by Mr Brown illustrated the impact that the attack had had on the innocent couple.

He said: “I should be able to go out without the fear that every other dog is going to attack me or my dog.

“I want to be able to go walking with my dog again, but at this moment I can’t.”

Turning to a statement from the man’s wife, Mr Brown added: “He was irresponsible and totally unconcerned with the fear and panic his dogs were causing us.

“He didn’t seem fazed by the actions of his dogs in the slightest.”

Mr Brown then told the court that a few months later Potter, who has 19 previous convictions, was arrested again after police searched his Range Rover on St Helens Road, Leigh, on November 2, 2020.

There they found a black machete on the back street of the car which, despite Potter’s claims it had been decorative and inspired by Turkish dancers , had "Kombat tactical" written across it with a logo appearing to resemble a hand grenade.

Mr Brown said: “He accepted that it was his, he said he was moving house and had simply forgotten it was there.”

He added: “He thought it would like nice about the house.”

Potter eventually pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control and to possession of an offensive weapon.

Kevin Friend, defending, argued that Potter deserved credit for having admitted his crimes and said his history showed that with a break in his offending between 2014 and 2020 he had shown himself to be ‘a man of two halves.’

He told the court that when the Elton Reservoir incident happened Potter had been going through relationship difficulties.

Mr Friend said: “In reality his life was spiralling out of control as he himself recognises now.”

He also pointed out that the machete was "never brandished" but had instead been lying on a car seat.

But Judge Nicholas Clarke KC said that the victims were uppermost in his mind when thinking about Potter’s sentence.

He said: “As was clear, you were not only unable to control those dogs but in fact you didn’t have any particular interest in controlling them.”

He added: “That couple had the daily enjoyment of dog walking and that has now been spoiled by what happened.”

Judge Clarke also said he took the possession of the knife extremely seriously.

He said: “The appearance of such weapons causes a great deal of anxiety and indeed a great deal of harm on the streets of Bolton.”

Judge Clarke ordered Potter to pay £3000 compensation to the man injured by his dogs, £2000 to the woman and costs of £960.

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He also gave him a sentence of 21 months, suspended for two years and ordered him to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days with 200 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Clarke also ordered that the machete be seized and destroyed after saying he found it "quite incredible" that the knife had been returned to Potter.

The court was not able to discover the fate of the five dogs.