A man whose dog attacked a girl during a wake has been given a suspended jail term.

Luke Kidston, 49, from Nutaberry Hill, Bideford, Devon, admitted having a dog dangerously out of control causing injury following the incident at a pub in the town in November 2023.

Exeter Crown Court heard the 12-year-old victim needed hospital treatment after being bitten in the leg by one of Kidston’s two Belgian Malinois dogs while she got food from a buffet.

Judge James Patrick jailed Kidston for one year and three months, suspended for one year and six months, and ordered him to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work and pay the victim £1,500 in compensation.

The court heard Kidston was drunk and could not control the dogs which had been pulling him and jumping up.

It heard the girl ran away not realising she had been bitten, but the wound later became infected and required hospital treatment.

Kidston’s dogs had also attacked two Jack Russells a few months earlier and he had been told to muzzle them, the court heard.

It heard three Belgian Malinois dogs were seized from his home, but it was unclear if any of them had been destroyed.