Dangerous dog attack – Hackney Council failed to protect employee

Hackney Council has agreed to pay compensation to a former employee after he was the victim of a “terrifying” attack from a dangerous dog whilst at work.

Chris Dew, 42, of Kimpton Avenue, Brentwood, was working as an anti-social behaviour officer in May 2011, when he, along with an RSPCA officer, attended an address on Egerton Road in Stamford Hill, in response to complaints of dangerous dogs in the neighbourhood.

During the visit one of the dogs, a pitbull, jumped up at Mr Dew and bit him around the face and throat, causing a puncture wound to his neck.

As a result of the attack Mr Dew was left irritable and depressed, leading him to  postpone his wedding until last August. According to solicitors who acted on Mr Dew’s behalf, he was left with “no choice but to hand in his notice as he could no longer continue visiting people’s homes”.

Mr Dew said: “As the seriousness of what happened began to sink in, I started feeling more and more wary about dogs to the point I was terrified to go to work in case I was sent to a property where a dog was present.”

The RSPCA later seized and destroyed two dogs. Claire Bracewell, a lawyer with Irwin Mitchell law firm, said: “All employees have the right to work in a safe environment that does not put them at risk, but sadly this was not the case for him. A proper plan needs to be in place to protect workers when they are faced with a dangerous dog.

“The impact of dog attacks cannot be underestimated and we hope to see action by the government to tackle this wider issue soon but also hope lessons have been learned by the council about the importance of protecting staff.”

An undisclosed out-of-court settlement was agreed for “loss of earnings, pain and suffering”, which Bracewell hopes will provide Mr Dew with “peace of mind that justice was done”.

A Hackney Homes spokesperson said: “Hackney Homes takes the safety of its staff and residents very seriously.

“Following the incident, Mr Dew was immediately relieved of his responsibility for dealing with dangerous dogs and was provided with a range of support.

“A claim made to Hackney Homes was settled by the insurers.”

The spokesperson said that “new tenancy agreements are now stronger…and require tenants to gain permission to keep a dog” and added that employees have been provided with information to help identify potentially dangerous breeds of dog.