Dean Haithwaite hit with $8900 in fines and costs after his dog partially tears of policeman’s nose
Dean Haithwaite was running from police when his pet ‘staffie’ attacked an officer and tore off part of his nose.
Manly
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A man who owned a vicious “staffie” that tore off part of Northern Beaches Police officer’s nose has been banned from owning dogs for three years.
The senior constable was chasing Dean Haithwaite, 33, from Beacon Hill over a domestic incident when his American Staffordshire Terrier latched on to the officer’s face.
After the officer pushed the snarling dog away, he drew his gun and was going to shoot “Monte” but was not able to get a clear shot.
The late night mauling at 12.10am on December 30 last year, left the officer — who the Manly Daily has chosen not to name —with a gaping wound, revealing the inside of his right nostril.
He had to have emergency surgery in Royal North Shore Hospital and later needed a skin graft, using skin taken from his own cheek, “to assist closing the gap in my nose”.
The officer still suffers ongoing health problems including difficulty breathing through his nose and sleeping problems. He is permanently scarred.
The unemployed Haithwaite, who pleaded guilty to owning a dog that attacked a person, was also fined $5000 and ordered to pay costs of $3900 when he appeared in Manly Local Court on Tuesday.
Haithwaite was prosecuted by Northern Beaches Council, which later had the chocolate and white terrier declared a dangerous dog. It was impounded by council rangers on the day of the attack and was eventually put down on May 13.
According to a prosecutor’s statement of facts tendered to court, the injured officer, along with two other uniformed police, were called to a home at Beacon Hill after Haithwaite began smashing furniture inside his parent’s home.
When police arrived Haithwaite ran off, wearing only shorts, and officers chased him on foot.
Monte leapt at the officer from behind a car parked in a driveway.
In a statement tendered to court to officer said he heard the dog barking as he pursued Haithwaite.
“Out of nowhere a dog appeared in front of me,” the officer said. “The dog jumped up and bit my face.
“I’ve then drawn my firearm as I was in fear I was about to suffer significant grievous injury.
“But I was unable to get a clear shot.”
Haithwaite’s father then managed to grab Monte and drag him inside the house while officers gave first aid to their injured colleague.
Mayor Michael Regan welcomed Haithwaite’s sentence and reminded the community that the council took dog attacks “very seriously”.
“We will not hesitate to take action if a serious attack occurs and I am pleased we were able to take this case to court,” Mayor Regan said.
“It was a traumatic incident for the policeman and his colleagues on the scene, he was simply doing his job and the manner in which he was attacked is quite confronting.
“This successful prosecution comes on the back of another large fine for a dog attack this year. It’s a clear message here – dog attacks won’t be tolerated by Council or the court.”
In October, a Narraweena man was hit with $13,000 in costs and fines after his dogs mauled and killed Chilli, a neighbour’s pet spoodle on January 25.