Vicious Rutherglen dog dragged pizza delivery driver to the ground and bit off his ear

A Lanarkshire dog viciously bit off a pizza delivery driver's ear months before attacking a woman in a separate incident.

Derek Marshall's pet named Bolo pounced on Usman Ghani in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, on March 22 2023. The English Bull Terrier initially dragged Mr Ghani to the ground and made attempts to bite him on the throat.

The stricken victim later lost a "significant" part of his ear and required plastic surgery.

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Three months later, Bolo attacked Angela Thomson after she approached Mr Marshall's home for a cigarette lighter. Miss Thomson suffered a string of injuries including a fragment of the dog's tooth ending up in her leg. She also required three separate reconstructive surgeries.

First offender Marshall, 55, pled guilty today to charges of being the owner of a dog which was dangerously out of control.

The court heard Mr Ghani entered Marshall's shared garden when Bolo approached him in an "aggressive manner". Mr Ghani - who was holding a bag of food - unsuccessfully tried to deter Bolo.

Prosecutor Ross Canning: "The dog jumped and bit Mr Ghani on his left forearm which caused him to fall to the ground. Bolo made attempts to bite him on the neck and throat area.

"Mr Ghani tried to fend off Bolo but the dog bit of a significant portion of his right ear which then bled profusely."

Marshall intervened and took Bolo back into his house.

The victim was taken to hospital where he was treated for bruising to his forearm and a wound to his right hand. He also received "plastic surgery to his ear", stitches and was given antibiotics. Sheriff Joan Kerr remarked of pictures of the injury that it "doesn't look like a normal ear."

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The hearing was told of the later incident on June 22 when Miss Thomson approached Marshall's property while walking her dog. She asked him for a lighter to smoke a cigarette, and as she made her way closer to Marshall's home he opened the door.

Mr Canning said: "The dog jumped at her and bit her on the left hand when she tried to protect herself.

"The middle finger on her left hand was damaged.

"She tried to make off but the dog caught her right leg and calf area which caused her to fall to the ground."

Bolo continued his attack on the victim and chewed between her thigh and upper groin area. Miss Thomson's own dog attempted to distract Bolo while his owner screamed for help.

She was later taken to hospital having suffered puncture wounds to her right leg, four punctures to the groin and a wound to her tibia.

It was stated that a fragment of Bolo's tooth was also found on Miss Thomson's tibia. There was also a chip to her bone and two wounds to her ankle.

Mr Canning added that Miss Thomson required three separate constructive surgeries.

Harvie Diamond, defending, told the court that his client was upset in the dock and that Bolo is "all he has in his life".

Sentence was deferred by Sheriff Kerr pending background reports and Marshall was granted bail meantime.

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