AN ELDERLY woman says she is still haunted by the memory of seeing her beloved pet savaged to death by another dog.

Maureen Flint was walking her miniature dachshund Evie in Central Park, Dartford, when it was attacked by a Staffordshire bull terrier-cross called Bullseye.

The dog’s owner Kieran Humphreys, aged 25, was found guilty of having a dog dangerously out of control and of assaulting 82-year-old Mrs Flint.

Humphreys, of Ambrook Road, Belvedere, was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and banned from owning or caring for dogs for five years.

Dartford Magistrates’ Court heard Humphreys was drinking whisky in the park at around 2.30pm on December 8, 2008, as Mrs Flint walked her two dogs on their leads close to the library.

Mrs Flint, who sat behind a screen as she gave her evidence in court, said: “One of the dogs had a brown patch over one eye and it ran towards me and my dogs. It was very excitable but when I asked the young man to control it he swore at me.

“I asked him again to control the dog but he came towards me. I felt scared so I pushed him away and he fell over.

“He then started to shout to his dog ‘eat the sausages Bullseye’.

“I started to walk off but he said something I can’t remember and as I turned around he pushed me over and I cracked my head on the ground.

“There was utter confusion and I saw that one of his dogs had got hold of Evie’s head in its mouth.”

A vet later examined the dog and said it had died instantly from its neck being broken.

In a victim impact statement read out later in court by the prosecution, Mrs Flint said she was “haunted by the memory of the violent death of Evie. It makes me wretched and sad I was unable to save her life.”

Humphreys told the court he was sitting on a bench with Bullseye’s lead around his foot.

He said: “He got loose and was excited because he was off the lead. I walked towards the lady and I think I called her a name because her dogs were off their leads. She pushed me and I fell over which provoked Bullseye.

“I would never touch an old lady or set a dog on another dog. I’m a dog lover.

“I was crying because of what Bullseye had done to the other dog and the thought that I would lose him.”

Humphreys has been ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mrs Flint and will be supervised by probation officers for six months.

Magistrates ruled the dog be neutered and muzzled and on a lead at all times when out.

Humphreys must also pay £100 court costs.