A young girl has been left with horrific scarring and nerve damage after a dog – called Duke – clamped its jaw around her arm and treated her like a “chew toy”, a court has heard.
It marks the second attack on a child within several months at the home in Caerau, Cardiff by a Staffie-Bullmastiff cross, according to the hearing at Newport Crown Court.
Gregg’s manager Jade Bibbings, who owned the dog, has received a suspended prison sentence, alongside a ban from keeping dogs for five years.
Additionally, the dog will be destroyed by the suitable authorities, as it currently is being kennelled.
A witness described the dog shaking its head while her arm was trapped in its jaw treating the girl as its “chew toy” (Stock)
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The incident took place at the defendant’s Cardiff home in April 2022, when the young girl, who was a guest at the address, stroked the dog’s head, after which the pet “latched his jaw” around the victim’s arm and refused to release her, while she started to scream and kick at the animal.
As the defendant was absent from the scene of the attack, one of her daughters attempted to release the dog’s firm grip.
A witness recounted the horrific event, describing the dog shaking its head while her arm was trapped in its jaw treating the girl as its “chew toy”.
In a desperate attempt to free her trapped hand from the jaws of her attacker, the girl forced her other hand into the dog’s mouth, which caused further injury to the victim, who then fled the property.
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Later, neighbours, who had already alerted the police, found her “bleeding profusely” from her injuries in “great distress”.
Soon after, police officers attended the scene and took the girl to hospital, who had received multiple lacerations and puncture wounds from the cross-breed, with one puncture spanning almost 4cm on the back of her arm and another laceration on her ankle.
She repeatedly asked responders whether she was going to die.
Now, the court has heard the extent of the attack’s emotional and psychological impact on the young girl, who has lost feeling in the lower section of her arm and has been left with significant scarring along her arm and hand.
Now, the court has heard the extent of the attack’s emotional and psychological impact on the young girl, who has lost feeling in the lower section of her arm and has been left with significant scarring along her arm and hand.
The court heard that the victim’s anxiety has caused sleep problems, as well as an overall fear of dogs, which caused her family to get rid of their own dog.
The defended was handed a suspended sentence at Newport Crown Court
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Duke’s previous attack was reported to police in December 2021 but, because no formal complaint was made, no further action was taken.
Ahead of her sentencing where she was handed 14 months jail time, suspended for 24 months, Jade Bibbings pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control.
Additionally, the 38-year-old was ordered to undertake 200 hours of volunteer community work, as well as pay a financial compensation package of £1,500 to the victim.
While the lawyer claimed that the dog did not usually exhibit aggressive traits, the recorder concluded that Bibbings was not fit to control such a dog, which had carried out a “savage and sustained” attack on the child.
