Jury considers verdict on whether Ex-Crufts contestant’s dog was out of control

The jury has been sent out to consider its verdict in the trial of a dog breeder accused of being in charge of her pet which allegedly mauled a visitor.

Margaret Peacock, 69, who has previously won awards at Crufts, is accused of being in charge of the Belgian Malinois called Mako which was dangerously out of control causing injury to Natasha Turner.

Sian Beaven, prosecuting, has told Salisbury Crown Court that Ms Turner had visited the home of the defendant in Farnborough, Hampshire, on February 1, 2021, to do some DIY and to visit her own dog, Bobo, that was staying there, when the attack happened.

The defendant has denied that Mako carried out the attack and Ms Turner arrived injured at her front door having been attacked by another unknown dog elsewhere.

Peacock also told the court that the injury she suffered on the same day was from Ms Turner’s dog Bobo as she tried to put it outside her house as she tried to help Ms Turner get an ambulance to be treated for her injury.

Giving evidence, Miss Turner said she had visited Peacock to move her bed to another room so it would be nearer to a wood burner because of the cold.

Describing the incident, she said: “It happened really quick, when we realised it was going wrong I was scared because I didn’t think I was going to get the dog off between us.

“It was like someone had got a knife put it in your leg and was tearing it through with a knife, that’s the only way I can describe it.

“I was screaming. I was crying my eyes out. It was really, really bad.”

Miss Turner said Peacock helped her to get the dog off but was bitten herself in the process before the defendant managed to put the dog back behind the gate where it was normally kept.

She said Peacock asked her afterwards not to contact the police because she was worried the dog would be put down and also bought her gifts in an attempt to stop her from reporting the incident.

Peacock denies the offence and the trial continues.