A BOY is plagued by nightmares after an American Bulldog sank its teeth into him in Chester, a court heard.

The 11-year-old lad was playing on his scooter near Western Avenue, Blacon, when the animal owned by Sandra Klimckaz clamped its jaws to his arm and dragged him to the ground.

He managed to kick it away but not before it had left a deep bite mark in his skin that caused bleeding and swelling.

Klimckaz, 24, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury when she appeared at Chester Magistrates Court yesterday.

She was handed a 12-month community order to include 100 hours of unpaid work, and was also ordered to pay the victim £500 compensation.

Her dog, named Jordan, was made the subject of a contingency destruction order, meaning it will not be put down as long as she keeps it muzzled in public and never uses an extendable lead.

In a victim impact statement read to the court by prosecutor Kate Marchuk, the boy said: “I keep on having nightmares about getting bitten by a dog.

“At first I was too scared to go out. I do go out with my friends now but I have to go the long way around to get there.

“Every time I see a dog now I get scared and run away.”

The court heard that Klimckaz had been with a six-year-old child walking Jordan near her home on Nevin Road when they passed the victim coming the opposite way at around 11am on February 19 this year.

“Miss Klimckaz had her dog on an extendable lead and it was not wearing a muzzle,” Miss Marchuk said.

“When they passed [the boy] the dog jumped up grabbing his right arm, pushing him over and refusing to let go of his arm. He had to kick out at the dog in an attempt to get away.”

The victim made his way to a friend’s house and his mother later made a complaint to the police.

The court was told that neither the defendant nor her dog have any previous convictions or blemishes on their records.

Defending herself through a Polish interpreter, Klimckaz said: “I feel very sorry about what’s happened. This is the first such incident. I’m really sorry.”

Besides the community order and compensation, she was also ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £85.

The dog, aged two, must also be microchipped and insured, and must never be under the charge of anyone under the age of 16.