A MOTHER faces

plastic surgery after being savaged by a Rottweiler during violent clashes between youths and police in riot gear on Brighton's Whitehawk Estate.

Kelly White, 24, was scarred for life when she was dragged along the ground by the police dog after being caught up in the disturbances on Friday night.

Speaking exclusively to the

Argus from her bed at the Royal

Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, she said: "I never asked for

this. I am innocent. I am not to

blame for this. I ended up scarred for life. I might have been disabled, I don't know. I am still in shock. I just can't believe that an innocent bystander can be savaged."

Ms White, of Wiston Road, Whitehawk, suffered a 12in long, 4in wide and half-inch deep gash in her right leg. She was being transferred to the specialist plastic surgery unit at the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, this weekend.

A total of 15 people were arrested on Friday and Saturday after police came under a hail of bricks, stones and bottles in Whitehawk Way.

Four police officers were injured, including dog-handler PC Michele Innes, who was hit on the head by a brick. She is now on sick leave.

Yesterday morning, eight men appeared before a special sitting of Brighton magistrates charged with a series of offences, including violent disorder, resisting arrest and assaulting police.

Accusations

Three juveniles were charged with violent disorder and released on police bail to appear at Brighton Youth Court at a later date. Another juvenile was released without charge. Police are still interviewing three adults.

Divisional commander Supt Andy Bliss rejected accusations from some witnesses that police were heavy-handed.

He said: "We have heard one or two residents say the police were heavy-handed but we have also been complimented by other residents who say our response was proportionate to the level of disorder."

Kemp Town MP Des Turner, whose constituency includes Whitehawk, visited the scene of the clashes on Saturday morning. He said he was concerned about the injuries sustained by Kelly.

He said: "I don't know the ins and outs of the incident, but I am sure she did not deserve to lose a chunk of her leg. I don't think Rottweilers are a good idea. I think it is right to ask questions about guidelines, about the choice of dog and on training."

Ms White, one of several people bitten during the violence, said she had gone out to buy cigarettes with her mother and 18-month-old daughter, Stevie, when the dog attacked as she tried to intervene after police detained her brother, Ryan.

She said: "I shouted 'leave him alone'. The next thing I knew I was on the floor, my top was off and I was being dragged down the street by the dog. I could hear the policeman shouting at the dog over and over and over 'get off', but it wouldn't and it was digging in more. They were hitting it with batons."

As officers tried to pull the dog away from Ms White, the animal appeared to lock its jaws even more tightly around her leg. Once the Rottweiler let go, Kelly got up and ran to a friend's house.

She said: "I don't know how I did it, but I got up and ran. I screamed 'get me an ambulance'."

Her mother, Kim, called for the dog to be destroyed. She said: "It is just unbelievable - I have never known anything like it."

Supt Bliss said: "The dog-handlers and the dogs are extremely well trained. This is one of those situations they are trained to deal with. At the moment there is nothing to suggest they behaved improperly."

On Saturday night, Whitehawk was calm as beat officers maintained a high-profile presence on the estate, but a dozen police vans packed with reinforcements were parked near Brighton Marina just in case violence flared.

Supt Bliss stressed a tiny minority caused trouble and most residents supported the police.

But Malcolm Bonds, 39, of Wiston Road, Whitehawk, accused police of snatching innocent bystanders from the crowd and said the "dogs were out of control".

Lana Saunders, of Plaistow Close, Whitehawk, said: "They were letting the dogs snap and bite at everybody."

Supt Bliss said violence erupted shortly after 6pm when police responded to a call that two men were fighting outside Dillons newsagents in Whitehawk Way.

As they arrested the two men, a gang of about 40 youths attempted to free them.

At the height of the clashes, 50 officers, some with riot shields and helmets, faced missiles from a 150-strong crowd. Sgt Glen Taylor was punched in the head and PC Ian Brown and acting Sgt Ed De La Rue were hit by stones.

Police are studying camera footage and photographs to try to identify youths who took part.

Mr Turner said: "It is only a very, very small minority of the Whitehawk population who cause this. The rest want to live in peace.

"The most common complaint I hear is the police are not firm enough. This is one of those situations where you can't please everybody. I just hope this is an end to it. My only hope is that it makes people see sense and realise it is a crazy way to behave. It gets absolutely nowhere in the end and every time the losers are the people who live in Whitehawk."

Supt Bliss said: "We have a number of community beat officers who work full-time in the Whitehawk area and we enjoy a good relationship with the vast majority."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.