A german shepherd dog who mauled a postman has been saved from being 'destroyed', after his family launched an appeal.

Gurdip Lally and Sajan Dhanda have succeeded in preventing their dog, Kyra, from being immediately destroyed and overturned a disqualification preventing them from owning their other pet, Diego.

The dogs had been taken after postman Frank Bardouille and Police Sergeant Gary Ryan were bitten in two incidents, Reading Crown Court heard.

Deputy Circuit Judge Nicholas Ainley, who heard the appeal, said: “On May 11, 2021, a postman attended the address of Mrs Lally.

“We have had the advantage of seeing CCTV of what happened. It was a genuinely terrifying attack on a man who was only doing his job.

“The dogs got out - there were two - Kyra attacked him. He was bitten quite badly on the leg. He deserves and receives our sympathy. It must have been a very frightening experience.”

Police attended Moorfield Road in Denham on May 16 following the incident and Kyra was taken, but Diego started barking and the atmosphere became “pretty fraught”, the court heard.

Diego then bit PS Ryan, leaving a wound and both Lally, of Cheveley Gardens, Slough, and Dhanda, of Kempe Close, slough, were charged.

Lally, 54, admitted being the owner of a dog which was dangerously out of control and Dhanda, 28, admitted being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control.

On December 19, at Slough Magistrates Court, both defendants were given a community order and disqualified from having custody of a dog for five years.

An immediate order for the destruction of Kyra was made, while a contingent order was made for the destruction of Diego. Both dogs had been living in kennels.

Lally and Dhanda appealed against their disqualifications and the order for the destruction of Kyra at Reading Crown Court.

Representing the defendants, Pamela Rose said: “This all took place in 2021 and for 18 months they had Diego with no further incident.

“Mrs Lally attended to the postman and offered to take him to the hospital. She offered to give him first aid.

“This family is so devastated by this, they will comply with any court order.”

Judge Ainley, sitting with magistrates Ahamefule Igbokwe and Thomas Wheeler, allowed the appeals.

The judge said: “It seemed to us that what happened in the house on May 16 was certainly an accident. 

“As for Mrs Lally, we have come to the conclusion that provided certain precautions are taken and adhered to, a contingent destruction order will be sufficient.”

The ruling meant Kyra would not be destroyed as long as the dog wore a box-style muzzle, stayed on a fixed 1.5-metre leash and door handles to be changed to door knobs to help avoid an escapes again.

The court also ruled that the owner attends four behaviour training modification sessions. 

“We have no doubt the family will do what we say, but nonetheless this must be supervised”, the judge added.