A financial consultant has avoided jail after her dog savagely attacked a dad and left him needing surgery.

Svenja Feix’s pet Pilo bit Lee Styles on both legs at an industrial park near Canterbury.

Blood was “pumping out of his wounds” after the large East European mixed Shepherd lunged at him and he had to stay in hospital for three days.

Feix of Bramling Road, Bramling, a hamlet near Canterbury, was later charged over the incident.

The 54-year-old admitted being a person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing an injury when she appeared before magistrates in Folkestone on Friday, September 13.

Sidumiso Moyo, prosecuting, said October 16 last year had begun as a normal working day for Mr Styles, who has a unit in Hersden Industrial Park.

He had walked over to another unit to speak to the owner, not knowing they were not there that day - and instead, the building was being used by Feix, who had driven down from London with her dog.

So as he went in through the open doors, Mr Styles had no idea that Pilo was in the entrance area.

Ms Moyo said: “The dog attacked him instantly. It was very quick and unexpected and he didn’t have time to see what dog it was. He just knew it was big.

“He was in shock. There was no warning - the dog just went straight for him.

“It bit his left knee and it pushed him back into a metal trailer and it hurt his back. He rolled away and pulled away and the dog then released his leg.

“He had bite marks on both legs at knee level and was in pain. Blood was pumping out of his wounds and he spent three days in hospital as he had to have surgery on his left leg.”

The court heard Mr Styles had been a dog lover all his life and owned 10 of his own.

Magistrates were told that sometimes he took his son to work with him and dreaded to think what would have happened if Pilo had attacked the teenager.

Ms Moyo said that when interviewed Feix told officers she had been upstairs in the unit when the incident happened.

Feix said she had driven to Hersden that day with Pilo and the dog may have been stressed from the journey. She then exercised it to make it tired and left it by the door tied up with its leash with a bowl of water, but without a muzzle.

The prosecutor also said Feix admitted to the police that Pilo was a “protection dog” and usually wore a muzzle in public places. However, on this occasion, she had made a “grave error of judgment”.

She also admitted the dog had lunged at people who had been at her door before but had never acted that way while out in public.

The court heard Pilo was now undergoing further training.

The prosecutor added: “It was a lack of safety. There were no control measures taken.”

Adrian Crossley, defending, told the court his client had made a full account to police in her interview.

He said Feix had been in the process of moving house and was using the unit for storage, having been told by the owner it would be unused that day.

Mr Crossley added: “It was a reasonable contemplation that she was on her own and she tied [Pilo] up, but the poor gentleman had his legs bitten. Her efforts were not enough clearly.

“The dog had spent an hour in the car and was brought inside for water and was very quiet and not barking, but it may have been startled.

“It has a herd instinct. It was a single attack, but left significant injury, but it couldn’t have been foreseen.

“It was a momentary lapse of concentration, an oversight. Could she have done more? Perhaps.”

Mr Crossley also told magistrates Feix offered Mr Styles £500 in compensation but he refused.

“She tried to make sure he was OK, but then left as he didn’t want to talk to her,” Mr Crossley added.

“She’s of previous good character and is a financial consultant and has no reprimands, nor has the dog and she has references.

“She is a sensible dog owner and is careful. She is full of remorse and has made significant efforts to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Magistrates noted Mr Styles had quite severe deep injuries and has suffered trauma. However, they said they would deal with the matter by way of a six-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months.

They also ordered Feix to pay Mr Styles £1,000 in compensation. This will be done at a rate of £200 a month.

The magistrates also made a contingent destruction order on the dog which will see him wear a muzzle and lead at all times in public. He must also never be left unattended outside a shop or somewhere similar.

The bench ordered Feix put signs up outside her home warning others that the dog was inside unleashed.