A FIVE-year-old boy was rushed to hospital after being allegedly mauled by a dog.

The child suffered a facial wound after an incident with the Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Rocky.

Jurors heard how a towel used to tend to the injury was "crimson and covered in blood".

The evidence was heard at the trial of James Paterson at Glasgow Sheriff Court today.

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He is alleged to have been in charge of Rocky at his house in the Castlemilk last July.

Prosecutors claim the dog was "dangerously out of control" and bit the boy on the face.

It is stated the child was hurt to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

The 56-year-old denies the charge.

A policeman said he found the boy had a wound that ran from his cheek to his nose.

The child was taken by ambulance to the city's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

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The officer said: “Mr Paterson told me the dog had been agitated because it had been warm.

“He said the boy had been jumping on the dog’s back and he had told him a number of times to stop.

“The boy continued and the dog growled at him and bit him, lashed out and stood over him.”

The dog was then locked in the back garden, where the alleged incident occurred.

Jurors were told Paterson was looking after the dog, which belonged to his daughter.

The officer spoke to the boy’s mother who said she did not want Paterson prosecuted and wanted the dog returned to him.

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Another attending police officer described the house as "manic and chaos" and believed the full attention had diverted from the child towards what was going to happen to the dog.

He said: "When we told them we had to take the dog, [a woman] became quite aggressive and refused access to the back garden and that we wouldn't be taking him anywhere and she would be keeping him."

A dog unit was sent for that took Rocky to kennels at Govan Police Office.

The officer was concerned about Rocky in the kennels.

He said: "I'm a dog lover, and several days later, on nightshift,  I walked him out of kindness of the dog, this was in the back of Govan Police Office."

The trial continues.