Dangerous dog owners face longer sentences

The owners of dangerous dogs who are jailed for allowing their pets to run out of control are likely to receive longer prison terms under new guidelines for judges.

The maximum jail term for offenders remains two years but those put in prison can expect harsher penalties following a review of previous sentences in the courts.

The new guidelines follow calls by the families of mauled children for a radical overhaul of the Dangerous Dogs Act in light of the 30 per cent increase in attacks recorded by the NHS over the past four years. More than 6,000 people were treated in hospital in 2010-11 because of a dog attack with one in six of them involving children under 10.