DUKE the guard dog is on death row.

He has been put on a suspended death sentence by a district judge.

The prosecution asked for the Caucasian Ovcharka dog to be destroyed after it bit a welder – and later allegedly bit a police officer's bottom.

But following a plea by defence solicitor Euros Jones a contingency destruction order was made – effectively a death sentence which is suspended on condition he behaves in future.

Dog owner Keith George Kendrick, 35, got the dog after he had been burgled five times.

Kendrick, of Grant Works, Greenfield Road, Greenfield near Holywell, admitted Duke was dangerously out of control and bit a man on the arm on June 7.

District judge Gwyn Jones also fined Kendrick £350 with £85 costs and a £35 surcharge, along with £400 compensation for the victim.

Under the contingency destruction order Duke must be kept under proper control, must be on a lead and must be muzzled in public.

North East Wales Magistrates Court was told the victim was welding a vehicle on the next door site but agreed to take a parcel from a delivery driver.

Some 20 minutes later, when he saw a woman walking into the unit, he said he had a parcel but the dog ran at him aggressively, said prosecutor Justin Espie.

He made a run for it but the dog chased, jumped up and clawed at his back and repeatedly bit his arm.

Each time he got a grip of his arm the dog shook his head from side to side, he said.

The Mold court heard Kendrick came out, pulled the dog away and apologised and the victim received injections in hospital for his injuries.

When an officer attended later the dog came running out barking aggressively and the officer was concerned about his behaviour and feared she would be bitten.

Mr Espie detailed other alleged incidents involving the dog and delivery drivers whose skin he said had been broken and he asked for a destruction order.

In September it was alleged a police attended the works in the early hours and an officer was chased by the dog and bitten on the buttocks.

Kendrick denied claims that he had said “get him, get him” to the dog, believing there was an intruder.

Euros Jones said his client was a business owner who had been burgled five times while doing up a house at the site.

The charge involving the welder was accepted but on other occasions it could be argued the dog was doing his job, said Mr Jones, adding not all the allegations were accepted.

Duke, said Mr Jones, was well trained and while he had him for security purposes, he was also a much loved family dog.

Films were available of Duke with the owner’s three-year-old daughter, he said.