Crown court judge's dog case adjourned

The case against a crown court judge accused of failing to keep her dog under proper control was adjourned today.

Judge Beatrice Bolton, 57, did not attend the brief hearing at Alnwick Magistrates' Court in Northumberland.

Court clerk Andrew Findlay and prosecutor Margaret Waddell agreed in the absence of magistrates to adjourn the case until August 25.

Mr Findlay told reporters: "The case will be adjourned for four weeks until 10.45am on August 25 for the case to be reviewed by another CPS area."

The circuit judge had been summonsed by police to appear in court after an incident on May 31 in Rothbury, Northumberland, near her home.

She is accused of a single charge of "dog causing injury in a private place".

Judge Bolton, who is based at Newcastle Crown Court, is not sitting at present. A spokesman for the Judicial Communications Office said she is on leave.