A “DERANGED” Staffordshire Bull Terrier attacked a man and tried to rip his dog’s throat out, a jury heard yesterday.

Deborah Exley, of Witney Road, Ducklington, denies being in charge of a dog which caused an injury while dangerously out of control in a public place.

It is alleged that on August 3 last year the 50-year-old’s dog Diesel attacked Michael Hobin, injuring him and his labrador Harry, near where she lives in Ducklington.

Yesterday at Oxford Crown Court Mr Hobin took the stand and described how he was walking his dog when he saw Diesel running towards him.

He told the jury that first the animal “lunged” at him, biting his hand as he raised it to defend himself, before going for Harry.

Mr Hobin said: “It attacked my dog. It jumped on his back and it proceeded to rip his ears off.

“It tried to rip the ears of my dog off and rip its throat out. That all happened in the first 30 seconds or so.

“My dog was whelping and screaming and part of its ear was in the other dog’s mouth. There was blood on its face.

“I would describe it as having bulging eyes. It was absolutely deranged.”

He explained how passersby had helped pull the dog off and he rushed his pet to a veterinary hospital.

Mr Hobin also told the jury it was not the first time Diesel had attacked his dog, having already injured him on May 26, 2010.

The trial continues.