FOLLOWING the death of a woman who was badly bitten by an out-of-control dog in south Essex, police have issued a statement highlighting a significant rise in similar incidents, with police saying Covid lockdowns are partly to blame.

In 2021/22 there were 755 offences. However that has gone up by around a fifth to 921 offences in 2023/24.

Figures from Essex Police were released after 34-year-old Michelle Hempstead was attacked at an address in Southend before being rushed to hospital in London on Monday, 29 July.

A post-mortem reported that a severing of the left axillary artery – the main artery to the arm – was among the causes of death.

Essex Police previously said officers were called to an address in Southend, at 11.30pm. Two dogs were seized from the address, but just one was believed to have been involved in the incident, they added.

Across the country Freedom of Information requests from March showed police forces in England and Wales recorded 30,539 offences of a dog injuring a person or guide dog in 2023. That was up from 25,291 in 2022.

The National Police Chiefs' Council said of dog attacks: "We believe some of this could be attributed to dogs purchased during lockdown, who missed out on key socialisation and have then become too difficult to handle in maturity."