A court in Britain has dropped two charges against an Indian-origin city councillor for being responsible for a pair of out-of-control dogs, because he was not present when the dogs attacked.
The Chesterfield Magistrates' Court threw out the case against Balbir Sandhu, a city councillor in Derby city in East Midlands, who was due to be tried on two charges under the Dangerous Dogs Act, following an attack on a woman Sep 6 last year, the Derby Telegraph reported Tuesday.
Following the attack, Sandhu had expressed regret and said that his dogs went missing that particular day.
"My guess is it is my dogs. It's terrible -- I want the woman to know I am very sorry and I will do everything I can to help her," Sandhu had said in an earlier statement.
"There is no evidence that Balbir Sandhu was in charge of either dog at the time and the two charges will have to be dismissed," Judge Maurice Cooper was quoted as saying in the ruling.
Sandhu refused to comment about the case outside the court.
Sandhu's wife, Jaswinder Kaur, who was also charged with two same offences, will be sentenced Feb 10 at the same court.
The case was heard at Chesterfield because Sandhu is well known as a Derby city councillor.
