A mother and daughter from mid Suffolk have pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.

Georgina Bissett, 41, from Coddenham, and her mother Jill Bissett, 67, of Ducksen Road, Mendlesham, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury at Suffolk Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Georgina Bissett also pleaded guilty to obstructing an officer in executing his duty.

The court heard that on July 19 last year Jill Bissett was at home with the dog named Bear, owned by Georgina Bissett, described looking similar to an American bull terrier, which managed to escape the house while pursuing the Jack Russell Georgina Bissett also owns, which had escaped.

Bear ran down School Lane, quickly outpacing Jill Bissett while she ran after it, and encountered a resident in Coddenham named Andrew Wagstaff walking his two small dogs with his wife.

These two small dogs were then attacked by Bear with suffering deep wounds and as Mr Wagstaff tried to save his dog, Bear bit his hand causing deep lacerations, the court heard.

The court heard from prosecutor Anna O’Brien that the police had then tried to find the dog and assess its threat to the community but Georgina Bissett had already rehoused it immediately after the incident and then claimed she did not know where it had gone.

The police still do not know where the dog is.

The police seized Georgina Bissett’s phone following the incident and found a text message on it saying Bear had previous tried to “eat” her daughter.

In the past Georgina Bissett’s daughter had been attacked by another dog which had been quickly destroyed.

The court heard in Georgina Bissett’s defence the text read out about Bear was meant in jest and that it had only “slobbered” the child’s socks.

A victim statement was read out by Ms O'Brien on behalf of Mr Wagstaff in which he said he had suffered seriously with anxiety around dogs following the incident.

He claimed £261 in veterinary charges and said he can not wear his original wedding ring anymore due to the swelling and so will need a replacement.

The cost of his old wedding ring he claimed was £856, which he want to be compensated for.

Both defendants pleaded guilty but sentencing was adjourned until March 28 for reports to be made.