German Shepard gets court reprieve

NORTHAMPTON, England, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Dino, a 7-year-old German Shepherd, who has been on death row for biting a woman's hand, has been grated a reprieve by a court in Northampton, England.

The dog had been ordered to be put down after he bit Elizabeth Coull, who was trying to intervene in a fight between Dino and her pet terrier, Ralph, in 2001, reported the Scotsman Saturday.

But the dog's owner, Bryan Lamont, spent more than $100,000 defending his pet in court.

"A dog will have his day, said the Bard (Shakespeare), and Mr. Lamont's devotion has allowed Dino to have his day," said Northampton Crown Court Judge Patrick Eccles, Friday.

The Lamonts' legal battle passed from Northampton Magistrates' Court to Northampton Crown Court, to the High Court, the House of Lords and the European Court of Human Rights.

The final hope for the Lamonts was the Criminal Cases Review Commission, set up in 1995 to review suspected and alleged miscarriages of criminal justice in Britain, the Scotsman reported. And in its ruling, it referred the case back to Northampton Crown Court.

Lamont said the incident was unique and Dino is not a dangerous dog.