The issue of dangerous dogs was raised again in February when the MP for Liverpool Wavertree, Luciana Berger, appeared on the BBC’s Newsnight programme to highlight the problem – an issue she has been campaigning on for some time. The programme followed news that local authorities across the country had to spend nearly £4m to kennel dangerous dogs, nearly £3m of which was spent in London.

Liverpool is known to have a particular problem, a situation highlighted in 2009 when four-year-old John-Paul Massey was mauled to death by his grandparents’ dog. During the programme a dog being walked by its owner was filmed trying to attack the cameraman.

Ms Berger said on the Labour Party’s website: “We need urgent action to tackle dangerous dogs, both here in Wavertree and nationally. The City Council’s introduction of dog control orders in some areas of the city is a great start, but we, and they, need this to be backed up with government action. Over 5,000 people per year are treated in hospital for dog bites, with a cost to the health service of over £3m. The effects of dangerous dogs are not confined to our emergency services, either; over 6,000 postal workers each year are bitten by dogs – just one of many professions dealing with the threat of dangerous dogs every working day.”

Co-incidentally, Merseyside is also the home to one of the country’s foremost expert witnesses on the issue of dangerous dogs. Guy Richardson has been working and training dogs of all breeds as a full-time professional dog trainer and behaviourist for 33 years. He assesses dogs and provides comprehensive reports for the court. He also assists as expert witness in Dangerous Dogs Act prosecutions and has a thorough knowledge of dog law.