A WOMAN, previously given an antisocial behaviour order banning her from keeping dogs, has been jailed after her latest pet attacked a schoolboy.

However, magistrates decided to spare Jessica Gill’s dog Snoopy the death sentence, by not granting a destruction order for the labrador and Sharpei cross.

Southend Magistrates’ Court heard Gill’s two-year-old dog got into the garden of a house, in Shoebury. The hound began fighting with another dog, a Staffordshire bull terrier, on April 29 last year.

Hearing the noise, the owner of the staffie, a 15-year-old boy, ran out to intervene and was bitten on his hand. Gill, of Bunters Avenue, Shoebury, admitted having a dog which caused fear of injury in a private place.

Bob Rowlingson, prosecuting, made an application for the dog to be destroyed, after bosses at Cranfield Kennels, in Park Road, Wickford, said it was too vicious.

Mr Rowlingson told the court: “Originally they thought they would be able to rehome him.However, the kennel owners, who are very experienced, said vicious tendencies had been exhibited.”

In mitigation, Lee Wilcockson said mum-of-two Gill, given an Asbo in 2005 after her rottweiler terrorised neighbours’ pets, had a difficult life and both her children were in care.

Urging the magistrates not to pass the “death sentence” on Snoopy, he added: “You have anecdotal evidence only. There is no statement from the people at the kennel, no further reports of any other incident and no expert’s report.”

Mr Wilcockson said the dog was suffering from “kennel craze” as a result of being locked-up.

He added: “You should look at the severity of the injury and the number of incidents the dog has been involved in – one. It isn’t a case of going on the rampage.”

Gill was jailed for 14 weeks – eight weeks for the dog attack and the rest for various other offences, including failing to surrender to police or court bail, common assault and theft of a pedal cycle.

Snoopy was made the subject of a dog control order and must be muzzled and put on a leash in public. Gill was also banned from keeping any dog for five years.

JESSICA Gill’s pets have landed her in hot water before.

In June 2005 magistrates at Southend banned her from keeping dogs, by giving her a three-year Asbo. She had allowed her dogs, including a rottweiler, to roam out of control, causing alarm and distress to nearby residents.

However, in July 2007 she was back before the court for breaching the order, after she was caught with three dogs – a Staffordshire bull terrier, plus a puppy and adult rottweiler.

After electronic chips were checked, the adult Rottweiler turned out to have been stolen from Benfleet, while the Staffordshire bull terrier had been taken from Shoebury.