A WARRANT not backed for bail was today (Tuesday, December 20) issued at Bradford Crown Court for a man due to be sentenced for being in charge of a dangerous dog.

Shafiq Azam, 43, of Leeds Road, Bradford, failed to attend for a stand-down probation report this morning.

He had been committed to the higher court by the city’s magistrates after pleading guilty to being in charge of an Akita called Bolt that was dangerously out of control in Leeds Road on February 26, 2019, and injured a person.

Prosecutor Paul Canfield said Azam had failed to turn up at the court. He had previously not attended at the magistrates’ court and a warrant had been issued.

Judge Colin Burn issued a new warrant and enquired what had happened to Bolt in the almost four years since the incident.

A police officer present in court told him the dog had been destroyed.

Judge Burn said that ‘with the demise of Bolt,’ and given the age of the case, it might be possible to sentence Azam without a probation report.

He said a decision would be made on that after he had been arrested and brought to court.

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