A police officer has appeared in court accused of being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog.

Paul Sheldrake entered no plea to the charge at Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old Essex officer is alleged to have been in charge of black German shepherd police dog, Cain, when it ran towards a woman walking her Yorkshire terrier in Arun Park, Chelmsford, lunging at her and twice biting her on the right side.

Prosecutor Ashley Petchey, said Cain was a serving police dog at the time of the incident on February 11 last year.

He said the woman was treated at Broomfield Hospital, in Chelmsford, where she received a tetanus shot and was prescribed antibiotics.

Solicitor David Allan made no representations for the officer, who elected for the case to be heard at Ipswich Crown Court.

He was released on unconditional bail until a hearing on March 17.