Gem Reed with her son Oren, who was attacked by a dog

by Chris Price

cprice@thekmgroup.co.uk

A five-year-old boy was attacked by a dog and knocked to the ground as he walked home from school, but police say they cannot take any action.

Oren Reed suffered a “nasty head injury” after he was pounced on near his home in Fleetwood Avenue, Herne Bay.

The dog, which was on a lead, grabbed him by the coat and pulled him to the pavement as he walked with a family friend.

His mum Gem Reed, 28, called police to report the attack but was left stunned after she was told no action would be taken because the dog had caused the injury “indirectly” as it dragged Oren to the ground.

Mum-of-three Miss Reed, 28, said: “It could have been a lot worse.

“When he got home he was crying and was shaken. He had a nasty head injury. It was a huge bump.

Oren, five, hit his head after he was jumped on by a brown whippet

“That dog needs a muzzle. Luckily my son was wearing a coat because it could have gone for his neck.

“Yet the police said they have not got anything in law they can do.

“He was near a road when it happened. God knows what would have occured if he had been any closer to it.

"when he got home he was crying and was shaken. he had a nasty head injury. it was a huge bump" – oren's mum, gem reed

“If my son had been bitten we could have pressed charges but because the dog grabbed his collar, the police cannot do anything.”

The dog - described as a brown whippet - left the scene of the incident with its owner on Wednesday.

Police spokesman Jon Green said: “As the police officer explained to the boy’s mother, there is nothing further police can do as no criminal offences have been committed.

“The dog, a whippet, was on a lead and being walked by his owner. The dog was not ‘dangerously out of control’.

“If the dog had bitten the child or bitten through clothing or caused a direct injury then we would have had grounds to take the matter further.

“However, the dog did not bite the child or bite through any of his clothing or cause any direct injuries.

“In effect the dog grabbed hold of the boy’s jacket and flung him to the floor, which unfortunately caused the lad to bump his head.”