Does anyone understand the criminal justice system?

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I was bitten by a dog (spaniel) the other day when I went running. The dog bit through my running trousers and I was bleeding. I reported the incident to the Police. As I didn't want anything to happen to the dog ie to be put down I said no when they asked if I wanted to prosecute but I did tell the police that I would like the owners of the dog to replace my running trousers as they had a hole in it. They said nice things to me and that they'll sort it.

10 days later the police contacted me to say they'd given the owner of the dog a good telling off. So I asked if they were going to replace my trousers and the police lady seemed surprised that I wanted compensation! She said she'll look into it. 2 days later I receive a call saying sorry, no can do, the case has been closed and I would need to ask them personally or go to a civil court. I would ask them personally but they are rough looking types and I would fear for my safety. The trousers cost @ £15 and I don't want the hassle of going through the civil court. I feel really fobbed off by the Police. Are they right with their actions?
 
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You said you did not want to prosecute.

The police are given powers to enforce criminal law, seems reasonable to me that if you don't want to prosecute them (therefore follow it up under criminal law) that it's no longer their jurisdiction, you made it a civil matter.

Personally I would ask them for the £15 pounds, and that they take themselves and the dog to some behaviour classes.

If they refused then I would either prosecute / sue them.
 
Although I am a dog lover myself (it's usually the owners I hate), I'm not sure I understand why you didn't want to prosecute given that the dog bit you hard enough to draw blood and, presumably, you had done nothing to provoke it.

AFAIK, prosecuting the owners doesn't automatically result in the dog being put down. They just might have been made to muzzle it and keep it on a lead when in public.

I'm not trying to guilt trip you but, imagine how you would feel if that same dog then went on to bite a child running along with much more serious consequences than a hole in a pair of jogging trousers.

To answer your original question - IMO, the Police were right not to waste their time trying to get the owners to pay you £15 for your trousers
 
This is the first time I have ever dealt with the police and at that time wasn't aware of their protocols. If I wanted my trousers replaced I should have prosecuted but I wasn't told that at the time and now have missed the opportunity as the case has been closed.

I feel the police haven't handled this well. I agree with you Karinska, what if the dog bit a child? I'm sure they would have treated this case differently.

btw I'm a dog lover.
 
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The police have handled it perfectly well.

You said you did not want to prosecute and the police have spoken to the dog owners and made them aware.

You cant just contact the police because you want compensating for new pants!

Ask the owners yourself or take the civil route.....has nothing to do with the police now.
 
I feel the police haven't handled this well.

How have they not handled it well ? you dropped charges now it's a civil matter.

Ask them if their dogs got insurance that'll cover this ?
Tell them you are going to pursue it as a civil matter i'm sure they won't want to go down that route def if the dogs not insured to cover legal costs.
 
When I reported the incident I should have been told by the police that if I wanted to claim for compensation (replacement of my trousers) then I needed to prosecute. They didn't and I did not know this until yesterday. ok, my ignorance didn't help me, like I said I've never dealt with the police before but i should have been made aware of the fact that if I chose not to prosecute then there wouldn't be an option for me to do this later. Had I'd known this I would have prosecuted.
 
Tell them you have changed your mind and want to prosecute.

Though getting compensation for a fifteen quid paid of trousers seems a completely outrageous reason to drag somebody through the criminal courts.

I wouldn't tell them that though or they might push you over.
 
sew your trousers up and stop whining. :rolleyes:
 
If as you say they are a bit rough,I think it would be better to spend £15 on some new trousers rather than bandages
 
The Police are not some sort of debt collecting agency who go around getting money off people to pay for things like trousers

There is no guarantee that you would be compensated if the dog owner was prosecuted ...or even if they would be successfully prosecuted

If you want compensation, pursue it in the civil courts were the burden of proof is lower
 
Farmer were working for at the moment has a neighbour from hell who ran over anothers neighbours dog and killed it and then tried to claim £3000 for damage to his car.
Judge threw it out lucky enough.

Were taking down the farm buildings on the property as a vesting order has been issued.
Fully funded by the tax payer as the neighbour from hell took a disliking to them. About £40k is the estimation.
Farmer is selling up and moving he's had so much grief.

So productivity on the farm ceases and the tax payer is left £40k poorer. :mrgreen:
 
...and migrants get paid a pittance for doing the work. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
Thats just how it is. The migrants are happy though.
The neighbour from hell btw is a retired public servant in his fifties on a fat pension who knows how to pull the strings of officialdom.
Well able to work but spends his days trawling the internet for information on how to antagonise his hard working tax paying neighbour.
 
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