Man arrested over pitbull attack

Police have arrested an man over the attack by two pitbull dogs on two people in south Auckland on Saturday .

The pitbulls were destroyed after attacking eight-year-old boy Jackson Williams and 15-year-old girl Te Aro Pakuivi in Papakura.

The boy was dragged to the ground by the dogs and bitten several times on the leg before passers-by were able to rescue him. Te Aro Pakuivi was bitten once on the leg.

Jackson required several stitches for deep puncture wounds and was kept in hospital overnight.

Police Constable Matt Green said an arrest had been made this afternoon but he would not confirm whether the person arrested was the owner of the pitbulls.

A 36-year-old man is expected to appear in Papakura District Court tomorrow morning.

If found guilty, the penalty is a maximum of three years in prison or a $20,000 fine.

- NZPA