- In 2002 Sir Keir Starmer agreed to combat a destruction order made in opposition to Dino
- Magistrates ordered Dino to be destroyed underneath the Dangerous Dogs Act
It is usually a canine’s life being a human rights lawyer, as Sir Keir Starmer discovered when he appealed to the European Court of Human Rights to get a reprieve for a dying row inmate – a pet alsatian referred to as Dino.
When Sir Keir was making his title as a Left-wing barrister in 2002, the now Labour chief – who final week exploited Tory divisions over whether or not worldwide human rights legal guidelines ought to cease Britain sending migrants to Rwanda – agreed to combat a destruction order made in opposition to Dino.
The saga began in January 2001 when Dino was being walked in Grangewood Park, Northampton, and attacked a five-year-old terrier referred to as Ralph.
Elizabeth Coull, who was walking Ralph, tried to drag the animals aside, however Dino bit by the palm of her proper hand and the knuckle of her left hand, damaging tendons.
Magistrates ordered Dino to be destroyed underneath the Dangerous Dogs Act, and fined the proprietor, Bryan Lamont, £100, plus £2,552 in compensation.
Insisting Dino had a superb temperament ‘aside from that one incident’, he launched an enchantment that ended up lasting greater than three years and costing £65,000.
After the case was heard and dismissed by magistrates, Northampton Crown Court, the High Court and the House of Lords, Mr Lamont turned to Sir Keir – who requested the European Court of Human Rights to overturn the destruction order.
Extraordinarily, after it determined it might solely implement human rights, Dino was spared when the Criminal Cases Review Commission referred the case again to crown court docket, the place a 12-minute video saved him.
The movie confirmed Dino, then seven, taking part in harmlessly with different dogs.
Animal skilled Roger Mugford instructed Northampton Crown Court: ‘A dying sentence is a bit excessive. The canine is considerably reformed. He has handed these teenage years.’
Judge Patrick Eccles stated: ‘A canine may have his day, stated the Bard – and Mr Lamont’s devotion has allowed Dino to have his day.’