Roger Akins charged over Byron Shire dog attack

A German Shepherd called Sebastian is no more after attacks on two women - landing its owner in court.

A “menacing” dog which had previously bitten and injured a woman has attacked another person in northern NSW, leaving her traumatised and landing its owner in court.

Ocean Shores man Roger Dean Akins, 63, was charged with being the owner of a menacing dog which rushes, attacks, bites, or harasses any person or animal after an incident on March 16.

Akins faced Mullumbimby Local Court on September 7, where he pleaded guilty to the offence - which triggered a breach of an order previously made over his dog’s previous behaviour.

Court documents reveal the dog - a black and sable German Shepherd named Sebastian - was deemed a menacing dog by Byron Shire Council on December 21, 2018.

Akins was first sentenced to a two-year conditional release order without conviction for being the owner of a menacing dog which attacked a person after Sebastian savagely bit a female dog walker who had fallen in a Mullumbimby street while trying to protect her dog from the German Shepherd.

Roger Akins leaves court after being charged over Byron Shire dog attack.

While he was subject to the conditional release order, Akins was charged yet again after Sebastian bit a woman who attended Akins’ Ocean Shores address for a planned meeting on March 16.

The court documents reveal that as the woman opened her passenger car door, a dog ran over from the front yard and started barking at her.

“The dog began snarling and jumped up and began pulling and scratching at her clothes,” court documents state.

“It then bit her on the left upper thigh (as) the victim screamed and opened the car door wider to try and push the dog away. “

The dog then retreated and went and sat under a tree about five metres away on the property.

“The victim was shaking uncontrollably and hyperventilating,” court documents state.

“She sat in her car for a few minutes trying to slow her breathing and calm herself down. She described the pain in her wound as being intense.”

The victim drove to Ocean Shores Medical Centre, sitting on her right side to avoid the pain at the site of the bite.

Court documents state she was seen by a doctor and a nurse, who treated and dressed the wound, and inserted a needle to draw out blood from the resultant haematoma.

She was given a tetanus shot and a prescription for antibiotics.

“The victim was visibly upset when presenting to medical staff and she was given a short term prescription for Valium,” court documents state.

When a Byron Shire Council staff member went to discuss the attack, Akins said he had not seen the dog get out and conceded there was no appropriate signage at the property about the animal being dangerous.

He pleaded guilty to the offence and will be sentenced by magistrate Karen Stafford at Mullumbimby Local Court for both the 2022 attack and the 2019 attack after the relevant order was breached.

The victim’s injuries were a painful haematoma, extensive painful bruising, a 10-15cm firm lump at the puncture site, and anxiety.

Akins had the dog euthanised of his own accord in April after the attack.