Recording of savage dog attack played at Christchurch Court trial

Court told of attack by two dogs on security guard making a bail arrangement. Photo / NZME

The dramatic sounds of two dogs savaging a security officer making an electronic monitored bail visit were recorded on his cellphone and played in court.

"I didn't think I was going to get out of there," said experienced security guard Jason Warden as he gave evidence in the judge-alone trial before Christchurch District Court Judge Quentin Hicks.

Warden was left with injuries to his face, arms, and thigh and needed a night in hospital after the July 16, 2020, dog attack.

The recording was played at the trial of Genisis Pure and Kathleen Pure, on charges of being the owners of the dogs involved in an attack - Naahni and Boss.

Judge Hix asked before the trial began about whether there could be resolution, but defence counsel Richard Peters and Kiran Paima said it had to go ahead because the issue involved was whether the dogs would be destroyed.

Christchurch City Council prosecutor Penny Brown said destruction of the dogs followed conviction on these charges, unless there were exceptional circumstances. "And this is not an exceptional case," she said.

Warden told the court he was sent to the Redwood address through First Security, on instructions from the Department of Corrections. He had been there a few days before, and knew there was a dog present, but it had previously been kept at the back of the house.

When he arrived, he called his office and then spoke through a headset throughout the visit while the phone transmitted from his pocket.

He found the house in darkness, he rattled the gate and whistled, and heard a dog barking - recorded on his phone - but he was adamant that was a dog at another property.

When he went to the front sliding door, two dogs attacked, biting his thigh and arm, scratching or biting his face and smashing his glasses off. The recording continued as he struggled and kicked, and yelled at the attacking dogs as he made his way back out the gate. He had to have stitches and spent the night in hospital.

"I could not sleep for quite a while - I had a lot of nightmares. The injuries mended, but I have a scar on my nose. It may have improved my looks," he said.

It was very dark in the yard, but he was sure there had been two dogs attacking him. "One's attached to my leg, and the other's attached to my arm. There's two dogs."

The court heard evidence of the officer being sent incorrectly to the address at the request of the Department of Corrections, because the "subject" of the visit was in Auckland where he had already had a monitoring anklet fitted the previous day.

The trial was told that the dogs had already been classified as dangerous after an attack on a police officer in December 2019.

Kathleen Pure gave a statement saying that there was a gate separating the back from the front of the property. It was secured by a boulder and a nail, but the dog Boss was able to open it to get to a bowl of cat food on the front deck.

She said: "I love my dogs. I have had them for eight years. I just don't want to lose them. I take full responsibility for what happened."

In evidence, she said that Boss had been able to get through a previous gate, which was replaced. Until the incident, she did not believe the dogs could get through the new gate to the front of the property.

Following hearing legal arguments, Judge Hix reserved his decision and said he would deliver it on Friday.