A Colchester man accused of being the owner of a dangerously out of control dog has claimed he was forced to let go of the lead when police officers forced him face down on the ground.

Jake Thorpe, 46, of Attlee Gardens, Colchester, has denied being the owner of a dog which caused injury to a police officer while it was dangerously out of control.

Giving evidence during his trial at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday (January 6) Thorpe said he had been on his way to a pharmacy in Cavalry Road in the town when he saw two men he knew in the distance.

He claimed that as he greeted the men he was grabbed round the neck by a police officer who told him he was suspected of “doing drugs.”

Thorpe said he had “kicked off” because he was being accused of something he hadn’t done.

He claimed he was taken face down into the ground with his arm behind his back resulting in him letting go of his dog’s lead.

“I can’t control him if they (the police) pull the lead out of my hand,” said Thorpe.

He said he had been subsequently allowed to go on his way by police and it was some time later he was told his dog had bitten a police officer.

The court has heard that police received information regarding suspected drug dealing on Butt Road in Colchester on October 14, 2019.

Three plain clothed officers followed two men to Cavalry Road, Colchester and saw them talking to Thorpe near a pharmacy.

Thorpe's dog, called “Scampi”, was present at the scene, and the three men were stopped for a search under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Thorpe was obstructive and tried to walk away and as Sgt. Tom Caton tried to detain him he was allegedly bitten on the leg by Thorpe’s dog, causing what was described as a “minor” injury.

The court heard that Sgt Caton tried to “shake off” Scampi while a colleague was forced to kick the dog before it was brought under control.

The trial, which is expected to end this week, continues.