A PENSIONER has been fined but her Cocker Spaniel has been spared from being destroyed after it bit a delivery man on the leg.

Gladys Greaves, 74, pleaded guilty to allowing her five-year-old dog Danny to be dangerously out of control when Paul Vasey called at her home to deliver a vacuum cleaner.

The dog leapt up and sunk its teeth into Mr Vasey’s left calf, and at one point was hanging off his leg by its jaws, Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court heard.

Serena Edwards, prosecuting, said the offence took place in Carmichael Way, Brighton Hill, at around 1pm on January 2, when the pensioner was waiting for a delivery.

She said: “The defendant opened the front door to take delivery of the parcel. As that happened, the defendant’s dog ran from inside of the address, past Mrs Greaves and then bit on to the leg of Mr Vasey.

“Mr Vasey described the dog as clamping on and hanging off his leg. The dog was then pulled off Mr Vasey and ran down the road and Mrs Greaves went to retrieve him.”

The bite caused Mr Vasey’s leg to bleed and caused “severe bruising”. The court also heard that Greaves’ neighbour came out and said the dog had bitten other people before.

Miss Edwards said the dog had been subject to a behavioural contract with the police since November 8, 2012.

The contract had conditions that Greaves had to abide by, including keeping Danny muzzled in a public place.

Miss Edwards, who was prosecuting Greaves under the Dangerous Dogs Act, applied to have Danny destroyed.

But Phil McCann, defending, urged the magistrates to make a contingency destruction order, effectively giving Greaves and Danny a final chance. He said she had put a gate in her flat to stop her dog running out.

Presiding magistrate Michael Ball ordered Greaves to pay £450 compensation with £50 costs.

He made a contingency destruction order, with an added condition that Greaves must keep Danny under control when opening the front door.