Gardaí set up parade to identify dog
Gardai held a dog identity parade in a bid to track down a Jack Russell which attacked a six year old boy, the Circuit Civil Court was told yesterday.
Barrister John Nolan told Judge Liam Devally there had been quite a number of Jack Russells in the housing estate where Adam Masterson lived and, at first, no one could be certain as to whose dog had bitten the boy in the face.
Mr Nolan said Adam, of Riverside Park, Coolock, Dublin, who is now aged 12, had been left with a small scar close to his left eye.
"Garda Noel Coughlan set up an identity parade, somewhat akin to those held in garda stations in relation to criminal cases involving people, and the boy’s grandmother identified a dog," Mr Nolan said.
He told the court Garda Coughlan had not been satisfied the identification was such as to support a prosecution against the dog’s owners, Edward and Kay Bannon, of Eagle Park, Coolock, and no prosecution had been taken.
Mr Nolan told Judge Devally the Bannons had offered Adam a £3,000 settlement with costs, which he was recommending to the court due to the uncertainty that Adam’s case would succeed in a full trial.
Judge Devally approved the settlement.
