Devizes dog bit me, says police election candidate

9:30am Thursday 25th October 2012 in Latest News

Colin Skelton is standing for election as Wiltshire’s first police and crime commissioner Colin Skelton is standing for election as Wiltshire’s first police and crime commissioner

A special constable who wants to be Wiltshire’s first police and crime commissioner shopped an elderly dog owner to the force when her Jack Russell bit him while he was out delivering election leaflets.

Colin Skelton, from Salisbury, who is an independent candidate, was apparently bitten when he called at the home of pensioner Liz Chandler in Roundway Park, Devizes.

Mr Skelton said: “It’s the second worst pain I have ever felt after being accidentally sprayed with PAVA spray (used by police to incapacitate) a few years ago.

“I was looked after by a neighbour who took me to A&E at Salisbury District Hospital. It will take several months for the wound to heal completely.

“I understand it was an accident and that the lady is very upset, so I won’t be taking it any further.”

He said he was accidentally sprayed with the PAVA while on a police exercise.

Mrs Chandler, 80, has denied Tigger, 11, was responsible. She said: “I was in the garden pruning roses when I heard Tigger barking. “I walk very slowly so it took me some time to get to the door but by the time I got there there was nothing so see. I saw the leaflet but I saw no blood or anything.

“Then, about 6pm that evening, I had a policeman call round. He took all my details and by the time he had finished I felt like a criminal. I was very upset at the way I’d been treated.

“One of my neighbours phoned up the police to complain and the young man came back and apologised.

“But he said that the chap who was hurt would take no further action if I was remorseful and took some action to prevent it happening again.

“What have I got to be remorseful for?”

Mr Skelton was seen dripping blood by neighbours Doug and Kathy Hills.

Mr Hills said: “It was a very serious wound, certainly more a dog bite than anything else. We brought him in, bandaged him up and gave him a cup of hot, sweet tea as he was clearly in shock.

“Then I took him off to hospital, trying Devizes Treatment Centre and Devizes Hospital, neither of which wanted to know, before finally arriving at Salisbury District Hospital.”

The election takes place on November 15 and is between six candidates.

Comments(38)

G P Hume says...
11:13am Thu 25 Oct 12

Who would want a guy like this as a police and crime commissioner when he's willing to waste the forces time and tax payers pounds on an old lady and her little dog . Toughen up man and take a different career path !!

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skippy69 says...
11:35am Thu 25 Oct 12

Well said Grumpy of Calne. What sort of IDIOT puts his hand that far through a letter box when there is a barking dog on the otherside? He claims he is going to target the 100 worst offenders if he is elected? Maybe he should target himself as he is just a BULLY picking on vulnerable elderly people. He's lost my vote and the vote of anyone i know.

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skippy69 says...
12:36pm Thu 25 Oct 12

What he fails to say is that the dog was in the house behind the closed door, and that he must have pushed his hand through the brushes to deliver a small calling card. Obviously he has never posted anything through a letter box before, maybe he should get his minnions to do his dirty work in future LMFAO

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yoR says...
2:00pm Thu 25 Oct 12

idiot: wouldn’t press charges if she was “remorseful” – shouldn’t have stuck his figures though her door to wave at the dog should he?

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Mouse007 says...
6:25pm Thu 25 Oct 12

What a cheek. She should press charges for trespass and for taunting her dog in its own home!!!!! No, I won't be voting for him either.

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Yer Tis says...
7:02pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Sorry having read this I certainly wont be voting for him, the phrase jobsworth comes to mind rather than compassionate policing policy.

Actually I am pleased that the dog protected its elderly vulnerable owner from a stranger turning up unexpectedly, but then I guess he will only be satisfied when the dog is euthanased.

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Daedalus says...
7:53pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Who said there's no such thing as bad publicity? It would have served him right if one of the neighbours had called the police and reported a suspicious man going door to door.

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Turnerhalland says...
8:36pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Good job he didn't put his other hand through my letterbox or I would had taken his big flashy watch off his wrist. Poor Tigger and Mrs Chandler. Defo not getting my vote.

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devizes fun guy says...
11:59pm Thu 25 Oct 12

well said uncle G P hume and all you others, he aint getting my vote,what a jobs worth nonce. i'm glad he got bit cause any thieves out there will maybe think about breaking in there!

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noelwoolrych says...
8:52am Fri 26 Oct 12

Members of the Labour Party have been out delivering leaflets and we have had no problems, but then we are more experienced at this than I suspect he is. And this is the man whi thinks he is going to put an extra 300 bobbies in the beat at a cost of about £12M Don't forget that there is a Public Meeting in the Town Hall on 1st November at 7.30pm about Police & Crime Commissioners.

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MDP says...
9:19am Fri 26 Oct 12

Pathetic, it almost sounds like a calculated publicity stunt to draw attention to his candidacy. If so, it has well and truly backfired, judging by the response on here.

Poor Mrs Chandler obviously needs a feisty little companion to protect her from intruders. Hope she has recovered from this ordeal.

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cris says...
10:47am Fri 26 Oct 12

well well well !!!

this is a VERY good way of not getting votes

so how would we like the money for the police spent...

hmm

Drugs
Domestic
robery
young offenders...

No !!! old landies with dogs. !!

Really... bye... dont get my vote

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GPNHS bod says...
10:52am Fri 26 Oct 12

I have to have a laugh at the crass comments above. I work in a medical setting and only last week I had to deal with a Post man who lost a finger due to a letter box bite and two people out leafletting who where bitten, again, one through the letter box one on the leg. This is a common injury and it costs our NHS thousands of pounds.

I liked the comment about manning up, go home and put your finger on the table and then jab a knife through your finger. If you don't pass out, you'll go into shock. You'll need to go to hosptial and you could lose your finger.

Dog owners need to control their dogs, this lovely dog, what would your view be if this was a 10 year old girl having had her fingers ripped off. Nice doggy.

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cris says...
11:04am Fri 26 Oct 12

GPNHS bod wrote:
I have to have a laugh at the crass comments above. I work in a medical setting and only last week I had to deal with a Post man who lost a finger due to a letter box bite and two people out leafletting who where bitten, again, one through the letter box one on the leg. This is a common injury and it costs our NHS thousands of pounds.

I liked the comment about manning up, go home and put your finger on the table and then jab a knife through your finger. If you don't pass out, you'll go into shock. You'll need to go to hosptial and you could lose your finger.

Dog owners need to control their dogs, this lovely dog, what would your view be if this was a 10 year old girl having had her fingers ripped off. Nice doggy.
well thats just great so we are paying for this chap twice..

through the police and through the NHS...

his finger was not ripped off and he is not 10.. instead he is wasting police time with a hurtie finger.

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skippy69 says...
11:10am Fri 26 Oct 12

are you saying that all dogs should be chained or caged up even when in thier own homes???? Letter boxes are for letters to be put through NOT hands hence the name. It's no wonder the NHS is falling apart with retards like you working for them.

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Laptop_Larry says...
11:24am Fri 26 Oct 12

Probably won't bother to vote for any of them 'cos I don't think they will have any power despite what they may say!

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G P Hume says...
1:13pm Fri 26 Oct 12

GPNHS bod wrote:
I have to have a laugh at the crass comments above. I work in a medical setting and only last week I had to deal with a Post man who lost a finger due to a letter box bite and two people out leafletting who where bitten, again, one through the letter box one on the leg. This is a common injury and it costs our NHS thousands of pounds. I liked the comment about manning up, go home and put your finger on the table and then jab a knife through your finger. If you don't pass out, you'll go into shock. You'll need to go to hosptial and you could lose your finger. Dog owners need to control their dogs, this lovely dog, what would your view be if this was a 10 year old girl having had her fingers ripped off. Nice doggy.
Crass comments ? I think the guy has been busted for what he is. What makes it really stand out is the fact that HE contacted the Gazette for some free publicity and has shown himself to be an attentsion seeker with no common sense. Add to that a smarmy photo , why would any right minded person want a complete clown like that running the show.
Ohh yes, good on you for working in a medical setting !!

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britcanadian says...
2:02pm Fri 26 Oct 12

Stand down now Mr Skelton, I think your future plans are allready set for failiure thanks to your own stupidity and your ridiculous attempt to get your name and face in the paper.
Is this really the best we have on offer for a position of trust and decission making for the well being of our county.
God help us.
Mr Skelton, wipe that stupid smile off your face and go to the Gazette and make a public appology, then go and see Mrs Chandler to make ammends and hang your head in shame, this whole story makes me sick to the stomach..

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thelittlemorgan says...
2:39pm Fri 26 Oct 12

what a creepy picture..... look at my poor little pinky..... kiss it better.... uurrgghh

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blackstone says...
5:13pm Fri 26 Oct 12

One of my friends had an injury 10x the size of his and sewed it up himself

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skippy69 says...
7:49pm Fri 26 Oct 12

Actually it was an outraged neighbour of Mrs Chandler who went to the gazette with this story not Mr Skelton......not that you would know it by the amount of coverage that he has been given. Mrs Chandler was upset that he had been hurt although there was no evidence of any blood anywhere to indicate that anything had happened. She has now recovered from the shock of the incident although she is still rather upset about all the fallout this incident has seemed to generate. People need to realise that pensioners can take these things so much to heart and worry about them for ages, as she still is.

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Daedalus says...
9:33pm Fri 26 Oct 12

Of course the other feature that this story includes is a near 50 mile round trip to the A&E. The last time I was bitten by a dog it was a short walk to Devizes Hospital! It really does seem pointless having medical facilities in this town where they adopt a 'not my problem' stance. Could you imagine the people of central London jumping in their car and driving to Slough to go to an A&E. No.

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Pinkie13 says...
6:55pm Mon 29 Oct 12

I want to know how the dog managed to bite him THROUGH the letterbox, did he have his hand in there?!
The dog was clearly protecting it's owner (as she should, this man is obviously too stupid for his own good.) & if the bite was serious would TWO places really turn him away? No.

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parky12 says...
10:13pm Mon 29 Oct 12

I am shocked that this man has not had the decency to speak to Mrs Chandler, who does he think he is,how would he feel if the same thing had happened to an elderly relative of his,oh I forgot he is only interested in his own importance.Surely he must have felt it was his own fault for putting his hand through the letter box and why did he not knock on the door instead of going a few doors down to a unpopular neighbour to get sympathy
for his " bitten finger"

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Don Jones says...
11:10am Tue 30 Oct 12

I wish I was clever enough to draw so many conclusions about events, character and motivations from one small story.

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britcanadian says...
11:48am Tue 30 Oct 12

Don Jones wrote:
I wish I was clever enough to draw so many conclusions about events, character and motivations from one small story.
One day you will be Don, one day..

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Don Jones says...
2:05pm Tue 30 Oct 12

britcanadian wrote:
Don Jones wrote: I wish I was clever enough to draw so many conclusions about events, character and motivations from one small story.
One day you will be Don, one day..
Will I have to buy the Daily Mail as well?

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britcanadian says...
2:10pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Nah you stick to the Sun pumpkin..

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Don Jones says...
4:11pm Tue 30 Oct 12

britcanadian wrote:
Nah you stick to the Sun pumpkin..
Funnily enough ...

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Sherford890 says...
5:58pm Tue 30 Oct 12

I think there are some idiots on here, have they ever tried putting letters through letterboxes which have draught proofers on them you really have to push the letters in. I know Colin Skelton and he is an honest chap who will do a great job if elected. He did not want anything doing other than for the lady to be advised. some of you including the reporter need to get the facts right. He has a nasty injury which he states was an "accident" he asked for the lady to be advised as we learn from accidents and he did not want a child putting their hand through the letter box and the dog biting them. He has not sought a prosecution nor does he have any intention of doing so "it was an accident" but would you all be saying now wish he had made a stance if this dog had savaged a child. Probably the same ones throwing the stnoes now about Mr Skelton would be throwing different stones if they leant he had been bitten and done nothing and a child was hurt. Read the article again This lady is NOT being prosecuted but she has been advised. Busy body neighbour get you facts right this was not a nip it. This little dog took top of finger and Mr Hills who is independent confirms that so much so that he drove the guy to hospital as I understand it Devizes to Salisbury it was a serious bite but still Mr Skelton is not looking for the dog to be destroyed owner prosecuted or embarrassed as it was an Accident His words

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Sherford890 says...
6:52pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Thank you. Mr Woolrych I note you are supporting the Labour candidate who got the Country into the this mess with overspending, then the Conservatives have had to make many cuts to try and sort the mess out, cutting services like the NHS and Police All the political parties have made such a mess of it in the past. We should be keeping the old Police Authorities who have done a brilliant job up till now, but of course they don't answer to any Government party or department do they!!!! I wonder if this is what the Government wants, control of the police as well. "HOPE NOT Look at what all Parties have messed up so far NHS, Fire, Military. Railways, Badger culling, Private sector, Education. let people who understand the job do it and keep politicain away from professional fields they are not profit making companies they are services for the public. Has Devizes got a police station now or are you policed from Melksham, What about the City of Salisbury where is the Divisional Police Boss, Swindon. Thats what political interference does to services. Keep politics out of Policing Please.

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Sherford890 says...
7:10pm Tue 30 Oct 12

noelwoolrych wrote:
Members of the Labour Party have been out delivering leaflets and we have had no problems, but then we are more experienced at this than I suspect he is. And this is the man whi thinks he is going to put an extra 300 bobbies in the beat at a cost of about £12M Don't forget that there is a Public Meeting in the Town Hall on 1st November at 7.30pm about Police & Crime Commissioners.
So are the Labour party paying for this campaign. I thought the elected candidate was not allowed to have any political association. Is this just another way of Government controlling the police. So we will see policing going to the dogs like the NHS, Fire, Military, Railways, Badger Culling. Keep politics out of Policing its about the only thing that is working right, Crime is reducing through good policing if Politicians get involved then heavan knows where we will be in 4 years. Thought your candidate wanted to be an MP not a Policie Commissioner???

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Roy-Orbit of Chippenham says...
3:48pm Wed 31 Oct 12

I vote for the dog. It's done more for crime prevention than that twit ever will.

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skippy69 says...
5:29pm Thu 1 Nov 12

Sherford890 wrote:
I think there are some idiots on here, have they ever tried putting letters through letterboxes which have draught proofers on them you really have to push the letters in. I know Colin Skelton and he is an honest chap who will do a great job if elected. He did not want anything doing other than for the lady to be advised. some of you including the reporter need to get the facts right. He has a nasty injury which he states was an "accident" he asked for the lady to be advised as we learn from accidents and he did not want a child putting their hand through the letter box and the dog biting them. He has not sought a prosecution nor does he have any intention of doing so "it was an accident" but would you all be saying now wish he had made a stance if this dog had savaged a child. Probably the same ones throwing the stnoes now about Mr Skelton would be throwing different stones if they leant he had been bitten and done nothing and a child was hurt. Read the article again This lady is NOT being prosecuted but she has been advised. Busy body neighbour get you facts right this was not a nip it. This little dog took top of finger and Mr Hills who is independent confirms that so much so that he drove the guy to hospital as I understand it Devizes to Salisbury it was a serious bite but still Mr Skelton is not looking for the dog to be destroyed owner prosecuted or embarrassed as it was an Accident His words
Yes sherford890 i have tried putting letters and small calling cards through the letter box in question and guess what???? i managed it without putting my fingers through the draught proofer, also the postman insists on putting the post through the letter box despite there being an exterior box now fitted to the house as he says " i've never had a problem with tigger ". maybe the postman should run for the pcc position as he clearly has far more common sense than this numpty. The goverment have just changed the law regarding home owners being allowed to use reasonable force when someone trespasses on thier property, his hand was in her house and he got everything he deserved.

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e coli says...
10:58pm Tue 13 Nov 12

As far as I am concerned he had one thing important going for him - he is an Independent candidate. For this reason alone I might very well have voted first choice for him, on the principle that the affiliated candidates are politicians, and all politicians are completely untrustworthy. All politicians lie.

After this incident, and (more importantly) the way it has been handled - that smarmy photo with an Elastoplast on his finger - he has certainly lost my vote.

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TreborMint says...
9:17pm Wed 14 Nov 12

I hadn't seen this article before. What a complete *** for 'shopping' her in. Her dog is probably her best friend.

Fortunately he's not he only choice for independent - not that I was going to vote for him anyway, he's been saying 300 more officers for months but never answers how he's going to pay for it. He's an ex copper and wont be interested in our corners.

Shame the dog didn't run for the PCC.

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itsfredforyou says...
12:19am Fri 16 Nov 12

People should have a think before posting comments slagging off people on this site. By her own admission the dog owner did not reach the door before the victim had gone, so he's not going to know she's an 80 year old pensioner.

And anyways, why should that matter? Wasn't it last year that a toddler got killed by her grandmother's pit bull?

Even the RSPC and Kennel Club backed the government to introduce tougher laws against people who let their dog's injure visitors on private property. (Especially given the number of postmen and women suffering from life changing injuries.)

I think this guy handled it well, considering he had to go to A&E. He let the police use their discretion, which is the type of policing he supports.
Personally, I'd have pressed charges. Especially as the women doesn't care that her dog put someone in hospital. What would it take for her to 'feel bad', a 4 year old going round trick and treating loosing a couple of fingers?

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itsfredforyou says...
12:25am Fri 16 Nov 12

In 2008/09 there were 4,810 dog attacks on Royal Mail staff alone, with thousands more on police officers, council staff and other workers.
Sian Jones, of the Communication Workers’ Union, which represents postal workers, said: “Dog attacks are a huge occupational hazard for our members. People have had fingers bitten off, others have been mauled so badly they haven’t been able to return to work, and it has destroyed their lives.

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