Man killed by pet dog

A man was savaged to death by his Staffordshire bull terrier in a London flat, police confirmed today.

George Dinham, 45, was discovered dead on the floor of the home he shared with his brother with his head and neck covered in blood.

Police believe the man was attacked by the pet dog when in the flat alone. A
post-mortem examination confirmed his injuries were caused by dog bites.

The incident happened last Friday night at the property in Wandle Way, Wandsworth, south-west London.

Mr Dinham's brother had been out for the evening and returned around 12.05pm to find him dead.

A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said the incident was initially treated as suspicious by the Yard's Serious Crime Directorate but the post-mortem examination at St George's Hospital confirmed the injuries were dog bites.

A full inquest is to be held at a future date and it is understood the four-year-old dog is in kennels while police decide whether it should be put down.