A MAN has admitted being the owner of ‘dangerous and out of control’ dogs following a fatal incident in a Runcorn park.

Stuart Forster appeared before Crewe Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, December 1, where he pleaded guilty to two offences of being in possession of a dog that was dangerously out of control in a public place.

The incident came after the 36-year-old’s two German Shepherd dogs were involved in a fatal attack on another dog.

The prosecution was brought by Halton Borough Council’s Environmental Health Department under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

The offences relate to an incident in Town Park in Palacefields on November 5, 2021.

The court heard how Forster’s dogs – Demon and Nuke – were being walked off a lead in the park when they ran towards the victim and attacked her small dog, which she was walking on a lead.

The victim’s dog was killed by Forster’s dogs during the attack and the incident was reported to the council after the event.

Following the guilty plea, Halton Borough Council has applied for a contingent destruction order against the dog Nuke.

The council says it understands that Forster, of The Uplands in Runcorn, may no longer be in possession of the dog Demon, but further investigations into its location and ownership are continuing.

Sentencing was adjourned by the court until February, when the application for a contingent destruction order will also be heard.

If the order is issued, Nuke could be destroyed if the dog is not kept under proper control.

The council will consider a further application in relation to Demon once the location and ownership of the dog has been confirmed.

In the meantime, Forster has been released on bail pending sentencing with strict bail conditions relating to the dog Nuke.

In particular, Nuke must be kept on a lead under the control of its handler at all times when in a public place and must be muzzled at all times when in a public place.

A council spokesman said: “This was a tragic incident that could have been avoided if the defendant had kept proper control of his dogs in a public place.

“The council takes all complaints about dangerous dogs very seriously. We hope that this recent case sends out a message of zero tolerance around dangerous dogs that cause fear and put people who use our parks and open spaces at risk.

“We will not hesitate to take robust enforcement action against anybody who allows their dogs to be dangerously out of control.”

Any immediate concerns around dogs behaving dangerously in a public place should be reported to the police on 101, or 999 in an emergency.