A canine proprietor took her puppy out to the park however ended up cradling him as he died in her arms after he was savagely attacked by a pit bull.
Diane Jones was coaching her 18-week-old springer spaniel Stripe on the previous Eccleston Park Golf Club web site in St Helens when her beloved pet was set upon by the banned breed. Kayleigh Roberts, the proprietor of the opposite canine, “did completely nothing to assist in any respect” as she screamed for assist and merely stood watching the mauling unfold earlier than walking away whereas the assault continued.
Liverpool Crown Court heard this week that Ms Jones and Stripe had been out within the space on the night of Sunday, April 23, this yr. Derek Jones, prosecuting, described her as an “skilled canine proprietor” who was “working towards the recall” of the 18-week-old puppy on the time.
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At round 6pm, she noticed Roberts and her 14-year-old sister walking by with their canine, a pit bull-type, off lead. Ms Jones continued her coaching, however round 20 minutes later the opposite canine appeared “seemingly out of nowhere”.
It “ran straight at” Stripe and “latched straight on to his neck”, instantly drawing blood and pinning him to the ground. She tried to seize maintain of Apollo, however was unable to halt the assault.
Ms Jones was mentioned to have been “shouting and screaming for assist”, however appeared up and noticed Roberts and her youthful sibling merely “stood watching”. The 23-year-old didn’t name her canine again and as a substitute “merely walked away”, leaving the chaos and her pet behind.
The complainant was “briefly” in a position to cease assault, at which level Apollo bit her on the hand – inflicting a “puncture wound” to her center finger. The canine then “latched straight again onto Stripe’s neck”, pinning the puppy to the ground as soon as once more.
Other canine walkers would “bravely” intervene by making an attempt to tug Roberts’ canine away and kicking at it. They had been ultimately in a position to put Apollo onto a lead and tether it to a tree, however it was then in a position to break away and went for Stripe for a 3rd time.
Ms Jones was by now “cradling” the closely bleeding puppy in her arms, and the opposite canine “jumped up and latched on” to the opposite canine’s bottom. Members of the general public had been in a position to cease the assault once more, with one even mendacity on prime of it to be able to stop the assault from resuming earlier than police attended the scene and restrained it.
Stripe was taken to the vets however died within the early hours of following morning because of his accidents. Ms Jones in the meantime attended A&E for remedy for her wound, together with receiving a tetanus shot.
Roberts, from Rainhill, contacted Merseyside Police the day after the incident and knowledgeable officers that she was Apollo’s proprietor. The canine was subsequently destroyed after being examined by an professional, who confirmed that it was of a banned breed.
(Image: Lynda Roughley)
Under interview, she mentioned she had owned it for 10 days after seeing it marketed on-line and incorrectly believed it was an XL bully. Roberts acknowledged she had taken Apollo out for a walk “due to his behaviour” in the direction of different dogs owned by her mum and it had solely been the second time she had walked it, including that she had “panicked” when the assault started and was “scared” and so left.
An announcement learn to the courtroom on behalf of Ms Jones described how her “world was torn aside emotionally and psychologically” by the assault. She was additionally left “completely numb” and “struggling flashbacks” of the incident.
The NHS employee mentioned she had taken day off work particularly to coach Stripe, whose “buy was fastidiously deliberate” to be able to introduce her to her different springer spaniels. Ms Jones is “nonetheless attempting to dam the incident out of her thoughts” and believes she’s going to “by no means get well from the heartbreak and trauma”.
She added that “walking around the golf course was her glad place”, however she is “unable to do it now”. Mr Jones mentioned she had nevertheless acquired “lots of of messages” and even flowers from nicely wishers within the aftermath.
Judge Denis Watson KC mentioned: “The distinction between her method to proudly owning an animal and the defendant’s is stark.”
Mr Jones added: “She is clearly a accountable canine proprietor who clearly loves dogs.”
(Image: Lynda Roughley)
Roberts has no earlier convictions. Bernice Campbell, defending, advised the courtroom on behalf of the mum-of-two: “The defendant made off after the incident as a combat or flight response, somewhat than a not caring response.
“She ran off and handed herself in. She was frightened and didn’t know what had occurred to the little canine, Stripe.
“She solely knew one thing unhealthy had occurred. She took possession of the canine as a result of her mom’s canine was in season they usually did not need any puppies.
“Kayleigh took within the canine. It was the primary time she had owned a canine, and she or he clearly didn’t know the results.
“She had completely no concept that canine was not an XL bully. Her mom purchased it in good religion, believing it was an XL bully which wanted rehoming.
“She has advised me she by no means needs to maintain a canine once more. Anyone who likes dogs or does not could be horrified by the incident that occurred.
“I am unable to say strongly sufficient how the defendant feels, and she or he is distraught concerning the scenario. She has put her arms as much as what she’s performed.”
Roberts admitted being in control of a dangerously uncontrolled canine inflicting harm and possession of a preventing canine. Appearing within the dock sporting a blue hoodie, blue leggings and white Crocs, she was handed an eight-month imprisonment suspended for 2 years.
(Image: Lynda Roughley)
Sentencing, Judge Watson mentioned: “You appreciated how sturdy this canine was. You had been unable to regulate the canine while you took it out to train it.
“Knowing this was a powerful and uncontrolled canine, you nonetheless took it out off the lead – which is a reckless factor that you simply did. As Mrs Jones was exercising and coaching her younger spaniel puppy, your canine attacked it and attacked it repeatedly.
“You did completely nothing to assist in any respect. You have displayed on this collection of acts the truth that you’re totally unfit to have possession or custody of a canine.
“It was solely the intervention of others that ultimately introduced this assault to an finish however it was too late for that puppy, who died the next day. The lasting impact for her is the psychological influence of seeing a canine she liked being attacked so viciously by your animal.”
Roberts was banned from holding dogs indefinitely. She may also be required to finish 80 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation exercise requirement of as much as 15 days, in addition to being advised to pay £85 in compensation to Ms Jones – this being the surplus on her pet insurance coverage, together with her vets invoice having run into the area of £4,000.
