Police dog bite victim holding out for £10,000 compensation
(Source: This is Local London - http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/8910393.Police_dog_bite_victim_holding_out_for___10_000_compensation/)
A pensioner is claiming £10,000 after he was mistakenly mauled on the leg by a police dog leaving him scarred.
Brian Kiddell, 71, was gardening when he was bitten by the German Shepherd during a police chase over the Hook Allotments behind Kingston Rugby Club last July.
It bit the wrong man. Mr Kiddell used to deal with personal injury claims for a living and is demanding £10,000 in compensation for “pain, suffering and shock”.
He said: "I stood still for a bit and just picked up my hose pipe. About 15 yards away there was this Alsatian running towards me and it just grabbed me on my ankle.
"Not only did it grab it in one place but he moved his teeth much further up.
"No-one could hear me shouting because of the police helicopter.
"It's the most frightening thing that has ever happened to me.
"There was an area of about six inches which have still got the teeth marks."
Mr Kiddell, who lives in Bramham Gardens off Clayton Road with his wife Margaret and Tibetan terrier Daisy, said the police handler had visited him after the bite and bought him a bottle of Baileys.
He said: “What the handler told me when he came to see me afterward was about a month before they saw a suspect lying between two parked cars and the suspect first kicked and then stabbed him so maybe that upset the dog I don’t know.”
And to add insult to injury he revealed his next door neighbours have an Alsatian and a Rottweiler, contantly reminding him of the day he was bitten.
"We share a common driveway. They come jumping up to their back gate and it is quite scary," he said.
"I have had two offers from the police but they are both inadequate and they say because it is coming from the public purse they can’t offer more without evidence.
“They started at £2,100 and doubled it to £4,200 three weeks ago.
“I have had an examination by my doctor on Friday and she has prepared a report.”
The Met Police has refused to comment on Mr Kiddell’s claim.
Police dog bites have led to compensation payouts of £770,000 across the UK in the past three years, with the Met paying out £95,000.
