A LAMB had to be put down after being 'savaged' by a Patterdale terrier in a field in Skipton, a court heard.

It's mother also had to be euthanised, even though she had two more breeding seasons ahead of her, because the loss of her single lamb led to mastitis which could not be successfully treated, heard Skipton Magistrates Court on Friday.

The dog's owner Vincent Hawkins of Skipton, after being told he would have to pay compensation to the farmer of £600, told the magistrates bench that it was a 'joke' and that they 'knew nothing about farming'.

The court heard that police had gone to the Cawder Lane area of Skipton at around 6pm on April 28 following reports of a dog chasing a herd of sheep.

When officers got to the field they saw a small black dog chasing the distressed sheep. The dog grabbed a lamb round the neck and began 'savaging' it, the court heard.

In a statement, one of the officers described how he had run towards the dog and had 'prized' it off the lamb. The animal was lying on its side, and there was blood around its neck collar. He took hold of the dog, passed it to a colleague who took it out of the field and into a police vehicle.

Hawkins appeared, identified the dog as he and returned with officers to his house where he showed documents proving the dog belonged to him.

The court heard that the farmer, and owner of the sheep, said in a statement that it was not the first time his sheep had been attacked by dogs; that he believed there was no deterrent to stop it happening again and that such dogs ought to be destroyed.

The lamb was taken to Craven Farm Vets in Skipton but because of 'significant injuries' had had to be destroyed, the court was told. The farmer said the loss of the lamb had cost him £250 plus an additional £350 to replace the ewe.

At court, Hawkins admitted being the owner of a dog which had worried sheep and lambs, but questioned the financial impact claimed by the farmer.

Hawkins, 48, who represented himself, denied that the lamb had been worth as much as the farmer had claimed and said how it's skin could have been put on another lamb which would have then been accepted by its mother as her own.

He said the dog had 'snapped its chain' and he was not there when it had got out.

"I got to the field as soon as I could, I told the farmer I would pay for the lamb, but he said he didn't want it. It was a pure accident, I was not there, but I got there as soon as I could. It is not a bad dog," he said.

Hawkins, of North Parade, Skipton, was ordered to pay compensation of £600, including £100 to the farmer for emotional stress.

In response, he told the magistrates: "You are kidding me, what a joke, you know nothing about farming."