Former rugby star given suspended sentence after his dog mauled a walker

A former Great Britain rugby league star has been sentenced to 16-weeks jail suspended for 12 months after his Border Collie sheepdog savaged a dog walker in a random attack.

Andy Gregory, the former Wigan scrum half, admitted having a dangerous dog out of control at Bolton Magistrates’ Court. He was also ordered to pay £1,000 compensation and he must now always walk Geordie with a lead and muzzle under the terms of a contingency destruction order.

Simon Derbyshire suffered substantial wounds to his legs and back in the attack. In a statement to police, he said: “At the time of the incident I was in extreme amounts of pain. I was just trying to protect my dog, who is small and placid, from his dog.

“I now take my dog out at night because I am too scared that I will walk into the defendant and his dog during the day.”

Gregory, 61,  from Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, who won 26 GB caps and played for Widnes during the famous “Cup Kings” era of the 1970s, was said to have stood by and watched while Georgie mauled Mr Derbyshire.

Miss Tineka O’Mara prosecuting said: “On October 26, 2021, Mr Derbyshire left his house about to start a walk when he spotted the defendant’s dog, which was not on a lead.

“The dog made its way towards him and Mr Derbyshire quickly picked up his own dog. At this point the defendant’s dog jumped up at him, biting him on the back, lower leg and calf.

‘He stood and watched’

“According to Mr Derbyshire, the whole incident lasted around 15 seconds. During that time the defendant stood and watched without offering any help at all.”

“Mr Derbyshire was later taken to hospital for his wounds. The hospital bandaged him up soon after but the wound on the back of his calf became infected. As a result, he required treatment on that leg. He went to hospital two to three times a week for six months as a result.

“The defendant was arrested and taken to Wigan police station. He admitted he was sorry but told [officers]: ‘If I had intervened it would have been much worse.’”

In mitigation, Ms Rosemary Proctor, the former player’s barrister, said: “He fully understands that what happened with Georgie constitutes an offence. He knows it was against the law and he knows he can’t hide behind that

“As for Georgie, this is startlingly out of character for him. His references show he is a docile, sociable animal that enjoys the company of others. He has effectively been adhering to the contingent order up to this point. The real issue is he was not on a lead that day and he should have been.”

Sentencing, JP Karen Martin said: “After careful consideration, we do feel this crossed the custody threshold. This dog was dangerously out of control at the time and caused serious injury to this individual. But the sentence can be suspended.”