Mail ban after dog bites postman

Brian Hossack • Published 3 Oct 2009 14:00

POST Office bosses are refusing to deliver mail to a Greenock family after their dog savaged a postman.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard Royal Mail chiefs will no longer send workers to James Lynch's Banff Road home after his five-year-old mongrel, Buster, bit a postie.

The attack came 10 days after the dog broke free and bit a neighbour as she mowed her front lawn.

Lynch, 52, admitted two charges of failing to keep the dog under control and allowing it to bite two people in May this year when he appeared in court on Thursday.

Sheriff Rajni Swanney dismissed a bid to have the dog destroyed and ordered Lynch to ensure the dog be muzzled and never allowed off a lead while outside.

Depute fiscal Nadine Dormer said the postman had to be taken to hospital following the attack after the dog's teeth punctured his skin.

She added: "The dog came through a hedge and bit him on the back of the right leg. It sunk its teeth into him with force, shook his leg around and eventually broke the skin and causing it to bleed."

Miss Dormer said the dog had bitten Lynch's neighbour 10 days before the attack on the postie.

Defence solicitor Derek Buchanan said: "The dog was being tormented by youths, throwing stones, shouting and taunting it. It was against this background the dog reacted."

Sheriff Swanney said: "I accept the dog has been provoked and I think ordering it to be destroyed would be unduly harsh. I have taken these steps to make sure it is kept under proper control."

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "Following an incident in May where a postman from Greenock was bitten by a dog, Royal Mail suspended deliveries. Royal Mail takes very seriously the safety of its employees."

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 03 Oct 09

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