A teenager who had been knocking on doors had a dog set on her, a court heard.

The dog called Flash is to be kept muzzled after a court heard how it bit a girl.

Teenager Kelly Grant was bitten on the thigh after the mongrel got out of Ashley Wernham's house in Estuary Close, Clacton, on October 4, 2005.

He had warned the 15-year-old and her friend he would let the dog out if they did not stop knocking on doors, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

The teenager was later treated in hospital for three bite marks.

Wernham, 22, admitted having a dog out of control in a public place when he appeared in court for sentence.

He was given a 150-hour unpaid work order. He was also told to keep the dog muzzled and on a lead when he is in charge of it.

His mother, Rachel, who owns the dog, had faced the same charge. The prosecution offered no evidence against her and a not guilty verdict was entered.

Michael Levy, mitigating, said the teenager's injury was not a serious one.

He added: "He had told the teenagers to stop knocking or the next time he would let the dog out. He did it to scare them."