Judge tells Sugababe sister to 'stick to chihuahuas' after dog attack

The sister of Sugababes singer Amelle Berrabah has been told by a judge to 'stick to Chihuahuas' after her 'dangerous' dog attacked another pet and left its owner needing treatment in hospital.

Zakiya Berrabah made 'no attempt' to intervene when her Rhodesian Ridgeback cross Cash pounced on Peter Rylatt and his dog Caesar in a park, a court heard.

Mr Rylatt had to prise Cash's jaw from Weimaraner Caesar's neck, sustaining 'severe pain' and puncture wounds himself in the process, a judge was told.

While they both survived the attack, the personal trainer from Fleet, Hampshire, said it had left his knee 'in constant pain' and left him suffering from PTSD.

Berrabah, who suffers from mental illnesses and had just completed a stay in hospital, already had a police warning to keep Cash - which was part Staffordshire Bull Terrier - under control.

However, the dog - who has since been put down - was off the lead when the attack happened.

Berrabah, 51, from Fleet, was handed a suspended sentence for the attack but was not banned from owning dogs. The court heard she now has a Chihuahua.

Sentencing her, Judge Adam Feest KC advised her to stick to the Mexican breed of toy dog.

'The reason I did not [make an order] is that your own personal circumstances at the time and the dog you had at the time were a perfect combination for this to happen,' he said.

'You need to be aware that any dog you have in the future must be a dog you can look after properly.

'Stick to Chihuahuas.'

Prosecution lawyer Luisa Rose told Winchester Crown Court that the violent attack happened in October last year.

She said: 'On October 27 last year at around midday there was an incident where the defendant's dog, named Cash, attacked another dog, named Caesar, resulting in injuries to Caesar and his owner.

'On that day Mr Rylatt was walking his dog at Crookham Park in Fleet, Caesar was off lead a few yards ahead of him when Cash came round the corner.

'Mr Rylatt tried to call Caesar back due to what he knew about Cash.

'Cash attacked Caesar despite Mr Rylatt's interference, he was kicking out at Cash to get him away from Caesar.

'Mr Rylatt fell to the ground and Cash locked his jaw onto Caesar's neck, he used his hands to remove Cash's jaw.

'Cash then directed his attack at Mr Rylatt causing him severe pain, he described that throughout the whole incident the defendant made no attempts to intervene or call Cash back.

'The defendant had been formally warned [by the police] about keeping Cash under control.'

Immediately following the incident Mr Rylatt took his dog to the vet and then took himself to A&E where puncture wounds to his right hand and thumb had to be bandaged, he also had a puncture wound on his left hand.

Ceasar suffered puncture wounds to his neck and left ear and Mr Rylatt said he still has scars from the attack.

In August this year Berrabah pled guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury.

She has eight previous convictions, including a string of hospital thefts, but none related to animals.

Ms Rose also read out a victim impact statement from Mr Rylatt who described 'months of anxiety' and being 'damaged' because of the attack.

'As a result of this incident I had months of anxiety, I found myself struggling with simple tasks.

'The attack happened two months post knee surgery and I am in constant pain.

'I am surprised at just how mentally and physically damaged I am.

'All lock-jaw style dogs are dangerous in their nature, I have PTSD about them.'

Mitigating, defence lawyer Katie Knafler explained that Berrabah used Cash as a therapy dog and the only time she would leave the house was to attend mental health appointments or walk her dog.

She added that Berrabah had taken steps to control Cash including hiring dog handlers to train him and buying a muzzle which malfunctioned on the day of the attack.

Ms Knafler said: 'She was an inpatient between September 29, 2023, and October 16, 2023, there is a significant mental health background to this offence.

'She does not leave the house except to attend mental health appointments or to walk Cash, she was using him as a therapy dog.

'Her failure to take appropriate actions was due to her mental health at the time, she did not act due to poor attitude to others.

'Berrabah notes that it was 100 per cent her fault, she wished it never happened.

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'She had taken some steps towards protecting Cash, he was muzzled but it had come off and Berrabah dropped the lead momentarily to fix the muzzle and that is when the incident happened.'

Berrabah was sentenced to 15 months suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay £300 in compensation to Mr Rylatt. 

Berrabah previously claimed her Sugababe sister Amelle was her 'guardian angel' when she ran into previous legal struggles in 2008. 

She claimed that 'little men' in her head told her, while working as a nurse, to steal thousands of pounds from hospital patients in cash, bank cards and store cards and spent some £5,000 on clothes, shoes and other items. 

But she was spared a jail sentence after the court heard that she is on medication for bipolar disorder and episodes of mania. 

In the fallout of the case, it was her sister 'Em' who helped her.

She booked her into the mental health treatment centre the Priory clinic.

Berrabah also confessed to 30 suicide bids by 2008 but said many of which were thwarted by her little sister.

She said at the time: 'Em's so down to earth - her family come first. 

'I must have been in hospital 50 times and I think she's only ever not been by my side once - when she was on tour. And she calls me about 25 million times a week.'

The sisters were so close that they were even mistaken for each other in 2009.

Zakiya was beaten up by a gang of women in Aldershot, Hampshire, believed to be relatives of Amelle's ex-boyfriend Freddie Fuller following a messy breakup, according to DigitalSpy.