A woman has been ordered to keep her Staffordshire bull terrier muzzled in public after it attacked three other dogs.

Boson, owned by Lisa Coster, of Archer Avenue, Southchurch, Southend, mauled two German shepherds in Bournes Green Park and a west highland white terrier.

On one occasion, it had been in the care of a 12-year-old girl, who could not keep it under control.

Southend Council's animal warden Valerie Howells told Southend Magistrates' Court: "Initially we received a complaint in July, 2005, about a German shepherd which had been attacked in Bournes Green Park. At the time, the owner of the dog didn't want to pursue the complaint."

Ms Howells told the court she received a further complaint in June last year from the same woman who had been walking another of her German shepherd dogs in the park.

This time a girl, 12, was walking the Staffordshire bull terrier off a lead at the same time and it attacked the second German shepherd.

Ms Howells added: "She couldn't get the dog off, and it chased her dog all the way home, biting its legs and all around its face."

Coster was warned to keep the dog under control, but in September, it attacked another dog, a west highland white terrier, biting it over its eye, while it was out on its own.

Ms Howells said: "The owner of the west highland terrier was with some children who were visiting. He was concerned about the children's safety as well."

Coster told the court she did not realise a 12-year-old was not allowed to take a dog for a walk, and said it would not happen again.

She added: "My daughter insisted she wanted to walk the dog, and so I let her. It will never be done again.

"We will get the dog muzzled and neutered and whatever it takes to get the dog under control."

The magistrates accepted Southend Council's application for a dog control order, and told Coster to get Boson microchipped, and keep him muzzled and on a lead in public.

They also urged her to consider getting him neutered.