Updated 24 June 2011: The court involved in the story below has denied it officially made such a ruling, and that it was “bitter humour”. See more here>

A DOG IN Israel faced death by stoning following the ruling of a Jewish rabbanical court which feared the stray pooch was the reincarnation of a lawyer who insulted judges two decades ago.

The Israeli website Ynet is reporting that the dog entered the court in Jerusalem several weeks ago and would not leave. It reminded a judge there of a now deceased secular lawyer whose spirit was cursed by the judges to enter the body of a dog about 20 years ago.

Luckily the dog appears to have escaped before the sentence was carried out. It is reported that one of the judges asked local children in the city’s ultra-Orthodox Mea Shearim neighbourhood to carry out the sentence.

A court official denied the stoning of the dog had been ordered after complaints from politicians and animal rights activists but other officials at the court contradicted this.

BBC News adds that dogs are considered impure animals in traditional Judaism.