A District Court judge who was walking her son's dog when it injured a woman has been discharged without conviction and ordered to pay $500 compensation to the victim.
Judge Mary Beth Sharp yesterday pleaded guilty in Auckland District Court to being in possession of a dog that startled a person, causing injury, after the Auckland Council withdrew a more serious charge of owning a dog that attacked a person, which she denied.
Sharp did not appear in person.
The court was told that Sharp, who is named on the court record as Mary-Elizabeth Willis, was walking her son's boxer dog, George, near her home in Papakura on the morning of February 10 last year.
Margot Bryant was also going for a walk and the two were talking when George jumped up and injured Mrs Bryant's right forearm.