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24 December 2010
Last updated at 14:15 ET
A man has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after a dog killed a woman in a house in Sutton, south London.
The victim, named locally as Barbara Williams, was mauled in a property in Wallington by a dog, thought to be a Belgian mastiff, on Thursday night.
Officers found the woman grappling with the dog and shot the animal dead. The woman, in her 50s, could not be saved.
The 34-year-old man was arrested after he attended a south London police station, the Metropolitan Police said.
'Distinctly large' The man was also arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis, police said.
Earlier police had appealed for a man, who is believed to be the owner of the animal and the main occupier of the home on Demesne Road, to come forward.
The woman was thought to be a lawyer.
Det Ch Supt Guy Ferguson, of the Metropolitan Police, said officers were confronted by "a ferocious dog" when they arrived at the property.
He said he believed the victim lodged at the house.
A child aged under five was upstairs when the attack happened but was not hurt, while another female lodger was also present.
The dog was "distinctly large", Det Ch Supt Ferguson said, and officers had to use shields to control it.
Dog removed A neighbour, Burhan Yanbolu, said he "didn't have anything to do" with those at the house because of their "big, strong dog".
"There were two dogs and the big one would lean against the fence and could see over it on its hind legs," he said.
The local authority for Wallington, Sutton Council, said it received a complaint about another smaller dog at the property last year.
"The council and the police's Safer Neighbourhood Team were contacted in connection with the smaller dog and damage to a fence at this address in August 2009," said Councillor Colin Hall.
"At that point there were no legal grounds for the council to intervene on the basis of our statutory powers. There have been no subsequent complaints."
Police said they would investigate whether they had received such a complaint.
They have also removed a younger dog from the home, which is being examined by forensics officers.
Do you own a Belgian mastiff? What is your reaction to this story? You can send us your views and experiences using the form below.
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The victim, named locally as Barbara Williams, was mauled in a property in Wallington by a dog, thought to be a Belgian mastiff, on Thursday night.
Officers found the woman grappling with the dog and shot the animal dead. The woman, in her 50s, could not be saved.
The 34-year-old man was arrested after he attended a south London police station, the Metropolitan Police said.
'Distinctly large' The man was also arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis, police said.
Earlier police had appealed for a man, who is believed to be the owner of the animal and the main occupier of the home on Demesne Road, to come forward.
The woman was thought to be a lawyer.
Det Ch Supt Guy Ferguson, of the Metropolitan Police, said officers were confronted by "a ferocious dog" when they arrived at the property.
He said he believed the victim lodged at the house.
A child aged under five was upstairs when the attack happened but was not hurt, while another female lodger was also present.
The dog was "distinctly large", Det Ch Supt Ferguson said, and officers had to use shields to control it.
Dog removed A neighbour, Burhan Yanbolu, said he "didn't have anything to do" with those at the house because of their "big, strong dog".
"There were two dogs and the big one would lean against the fence and could see over it on its hind legs," he said.
The local authority for Wallington, Sutton Council, said it received a complaint about another smaller dog at the property last year.
"The council and the police's Safer Neighbourhood Team were contacted in connection with the smaller dog and damage to a fence at this address in August 2009," said Councillor Colin Hall.
"At that point there were no legal grounds for the council to intervene on the basis of our statutory powers. There have been no subsequent complaints."
Police said they would investigate whether they had received such a complaint.
They have also removed a younger dog from the home, which is being examined by forensics officers.
Do you own a Belgian mastiff? What is your reaction to this story? You can send us your views and experiences using the form below.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
Read the terms and conditions
Powered by WizardRSS | Work At Home Jobs