A dog owner faces an anxious wait to see if his Staffordshire bull terrier will be destroyed after it was dangerously out of control again in Ipswich.

John O’Mahoney, of Downside Close, Ipswich, had already breached a control order three times, the town’s magistrates were told. The order had been placed on his dog Sasha after a previous incident.

O’Mahoney pleaded guilty to failing to keep a dog under proper control on July 17 last year.

He also admitted Sasha was dangerously out of control on the same day in Ellenbrook Road.

Prosecutor Jane Foster said a couple were walking their labradoodles and a labrador in Ellenbrook Road.

The couple went to a fish and chip shop where they saw O’Mahoney and thought he was drunk.

Having bought their fish and chips the couple left and saw 43-year-old O’Mahoney ahead of them with Sasha. The husband and wife thought they would give the pair a wide berth, the court heard.

Sasha was unmuzzled and as they walked passed she lunged and bit the couple’s labrador clamping her mouth around its neck and ear, refusing to let go.

The husband tried to prize Sasha off. A subsequent vet’s bill for the labrador’s injuries came to £111.43.

Magistrates were told O’Mahoney and Sasha were involved in previous incidents.

On December 13, 2013, Sasha and two other dogs O’Mahoney had were made the subject of a control order.

The order stated she had to be muzzled in public after Sasha and O’Mahoney’s other pets attacked a small dog in a children’s play area.

On August 14, 2014, O’Mahoney returned to court for breaching the control order by having three dogs which were out of control in public. In January 2015 O’Mahoney was back in court for another two breaches.

On that occasion he begged the court not to issue a destruction order on Sasha.

Magistrates relented and a contingent destruction order was made.

John Hughes, mitigating, said Sasha had been wearing a muzzle and a full body harness, but O’Mahoney had taken the muzzle off so a friend could feed her.

Sentencing was adjourned until March 7. O’Mahoney was released on conditional bail.