An "eccentric individual" allowed one of his Rottweilers to attack two neighbours' dogs, Bradford magistrates heard.

But the incidents were not a way of Lance Windsor getting back at his neighbours over earlier problems between them, claimed his solicitor Simon Higgingbotham.

Windsor, 38, of Rathmell Street, Bankfoot, Bradford, pleaded guilty to two breaches of an anti-social behaviour order and had been convicted of a third.

He was today placed under a community order, including supervision, for 12 months and ordered to pay £40 compensation and £150 costs.

Vanessa Schofield, prosecuting, said the first incident happened in May last year when one of Windsor's neighbours saw his Rottweiler bite her dog on its paw, causing it to bleed.

The following month, another neighbour was saying goodbye to visitors when the same dog jumped over a fence and grabbed hold of her Bassett hound by its leg. Windsor came out of his house and dragged his dog back inside.

It was a "terrifying experience" for the woman and her dog was later treated by the PDSA for deep puncture wounds to its leg, said Mrs Schofield.

Three days later, the Rottweiler again attacked her dog, causing two deep puncture wounds.

Mr Higginbotham told the court that Windsor was very sorry for what had happened. After the second incident he put an extra grille up to try to keep the dog in the yard but it had then escaped by a different route.

He had since given the dog to another family better able to cope with its behaviour and retained a second Rottweiler which had always been a very placid animal.

"Mr Windsor is something of an eccentric individual and problems have arisen between him and his neighbours," said Mr Higginbotham. "He was convicted of harassment and made the subject of an anti-social behaviour.

"These incidents were not intentional - he was not trying to get his own back. He has simply allowed one of his dogs to get out of his control."