A man has been charged under Royal Parks regulations after his dog chased a deer that later injured a child in Bushy Park last month.

Royal Parks Police tweeted out a short statement Tuesday (February 9) announcing the charge, revealing that the man was a Weybridge resident.

The park police also revealed that the child had been hurt so badly they had to be taken to hospital for the injuries sustained in the incident.

"We have today charged a male from Weybridge under the park regulations after his dog chased a herd of deer in Bushy Park on 17/01/21.

"The fleeing deer collided with a child who was taken to hospital," a spokesperson said in a short statement posted online.

The Weybridge man is now due to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates Court later this month (February 23).

Park authorities including the police have warned visitors to Royal Parks, and in particular Richmond and Bushy Parks, to maintain control over their animals and keep their distance after several similar incidents were reported recently.

As the RTT reported previously, a dog owner from Kingston was convicted and fined in January after his dog harassed and fatally wounded a deer in Richmond Park last summer.

Four deer have died from dog attacks in the Royal Parks since March 2020, while there have been 58 incidents of dogs chasing the herds – a big increase on previous years – according to the manager of Richmond Park.