A young mum who claimed her banned devil dog was her “bodyguard” after it savaged another pooch during a four-week reign of terror in Ardrossan has been banned from keeping dogs - and ordered to stump up over her pet’s attacks.

Nicole Wallace’s powerful pit bull terrier, named Floyd, will now be put down because of its attacks on three dogs and an owner, and she has to pay them the £1,600 it cost vets to treat their animals’ wounds.

While police were hunting her over the first attack - on a Shih Tzu named Cooper - she posted a picture of her toddler son next to Floyd in his basket, claiming it was their “bodyguard”.

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Tuesday Wallace was finally sentenced - over the attacks - more than four months after she first admitted her guilt.

Procurator Fiscal Depute Vicky McMillan said Floyd savaged Shih Tzu Cooper as he was being walked by a teenager in Island View on October 25 last year, leaving it needing emergency medical treatment.

The prosecutor explained: “A dog ran straight at her dog and clamped on to her dog’s neck with it’s teeth and wouldn’t let go.

“It began to use it’s head and neck and threw her dog about - she described it as being ‘rag-dolled about’.

“She was screaming and trying to pull at this dog to get it off.”

A stranger raced from his home and managed to pull Floyd off, but the animal, intent on tasting more blood, kept jumping up and tried to bite Cooper as the teenager held the pet in her arms.

Wallace then appeared on the scene, carrying a lead and a collar, said Floyd had “got out again” and took him away, saying she would come back to speak to the teenager.

But she never returned and an appeal was launched to try and track her down, while she posted the picture of her son next to Floyd in his basket on her Facebook page, claiming it was their “bodyguard” and making light of the attack.

Floyd went on to attack another two dogs, biting a Labrador named Louie on November 3 after jumping on the animal’s back, and biting another Shih Tzu, trying to bite a Yorkshire terrier and biting its owner on the body on November 25.

Miss McMillan said the attack on Cooper left it with four wounds, one of which had to have a drain inserted in to it, leaving his owners with a £215.80 vet bill which cost them just £75 as they had pet insurance.

Louie the Labrador was left with a punctured leg after being attacked by Floyd, costing £312.01 to treat.

The other Shih Tzu was savaged so badly - being “tossed about” by the “totally demented” Floyd in what it’s owner described as “a frenzied attack” - it cost £1,302.67 to treat.

Wallace pleaded guilty to four charges a hearing at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court in February, admitting having a pit bull terrier-type dog, which is banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act, and being responsible for the dog when it carried out its attacks.

Wallace missed previous sentencing hearings and crucial meetings with social workers as she had been admitted to hospital and then contracted sepsis whilst in hospital.

And on Tuesday, Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane spared her jail, placing her on a Community Payback Order which will see her supervised by social workers for a year and carrying out 200 hours’ unpaid work in the next six months.

She also told her to pay a total of £1,689 in compensation, giving the dog owners back the money they shelled out on vets’ fees. Wallace’s dog was also ordered to be put down over the attacks and Wallace was banned from keeping dogs for five years.

Sheriff McFarlane added: “You can’t even look after a dog."