A TEENAGER has been sentenced to detention for a brutal machete attack on a police dog.
The 17-year-old – who cannot be named for legal reasons – struck police dog Stark more than 20 times with the rusty blade at allotments in Handsworth.
Stark, who was born as part of the Games Of Thrones litter at the Balsall Common West Midlands Police dog training unit, was on the trail of suspected burglars at 4am on November 14 when the teen emerged from his allotment hiding place with a machete.
The teenager later admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a police dog and possession of a machete at Birmingham Youth Court.
He was handed an eight month detention training order for possessing a bladed weapon and causing unnecessary suffering to a service animal.
He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation for the distress he caused to PC Hopley and PD Stark.
The court heard how PC Hopley told the 17-year-old – several times to put the weapon down but he continued to “swing the machete wildly”.
He rugby tackled the knifeman to the floor and Stark helped detain him in the allotments off Larch Avenue.
The boy was arrested and charged days later after he’d received treatment for dog bites.
Stark suffered nasty cuts to his face, with one blow narrowly missing an eye, but thankfully he’s made a full recovery and his policing career is flourishing.
On his first night shift back at work, Stark got back into full work mode, locating a wanted person who had tried to hide from officers on a flat roof, but he couldn’t outwit Stark.
PC Paul Hopley said: “Hopefully this sentence sends out a clear message that it is completely unacceptable to attack a service animal.
“Although Stark appears to have made a full recovery, this is very much down to luck and he was extremely fortunate that his injuries were not more severe following the attack on him that morning.”
