Fong appeared visibly upset as she spoke of her relationship with Keven Jones, describing him as her “father-in-law”, although she was not married to his son.

She said she got on with him “really well”, describing him as a “functioning” drug addict who was anything “you would expect a normal person to be”.

He had owned several dogs during his life, including a boxer and a “Bully breed” at the time of his death, she said.

On the morning of the incident, she said Jones was outside the house when she heard him say: “Get off me Cookie, or get off me mate.”

She sobbed as she was asked if she had control of the dogs at the time or saw what was happening, repeatedly saying: “No.”

She continued crying as she recalled dialling 999 and was instructed how to perform CPR by the operator.

“I remember shouting to the paramedics that they needed to hurry up… I was scared… it was horrible.”

Asked why she later agreed to euthanise Cookie, she said: “Because it was the right thing to do.”

Cross-examined by the prosecution, she was asked whether she had made any effort to establish if Jones had taken drugs or had any concerns about him taking charge of the dogs.

“I never knew when he was or wasn’t on drugs,” she said.

“You didn’t bother to ask him?” she was asked by Connor, responding: “No.”

She was also repeatedly asked if she had become complacent about the dogs or underestimated the danger they represented.

She replied: “I did underestimate him because he did what he did.”

The trial continues.