£42,000 payout to dog bite youth

Bruce, a German Shepherd, who lived in Seaford with his handler, was put down after biting a young man following an incident in Brighton five years ago. The youth had been fleeing from officers.

Bruce's death caused uproar with many claiming the dog was only doing his job.

Now a record 42,500 has been paid in legal fees and compensation to the youth after a long court case. It was believed to be the largest payout of its kind.

Police said the monitoring of dogs had changed since Bruce chased the youth during a brawl in 2002. Dogs are trained to sink teeth into assailants' arms if they flee from or attack officers. Approximately 40 routine bites happen every year. Officers have to fill in a five-page report after every incident, which is passed to supervisors who decide whether the dog poses any danger to the public. If it does and then fails further safety checks, the dog is retired.

A plaque dedicated to the popular German Shepherd was placed near his ashes in the garden of his handler, PC Pete Tattum.

The assistant chief constable who ordered Bruce's death, Nick Yeo, has since retired and taken a job with the RSPCA.