UK : Women jailed for a year over fatal dog attack

Two women have each been jailed for a year after their dog mauled a Liverpool pensioner to death in his own home.

Clifford Clarke, 79, died after he’d been attacked by a Presa Canario dog, known as “Charlie” in his garden in Richard Kelly Close in Clubmoor on May 25 last year.

Judge Mark Brown said Clarke’s death was “entirely avoidable” and he was “literally eaten alive” as he died in “truly horrific circumstances”.

Sulley and Woods admitted allowing their dog to enter a non-public place and subsequently cause injury.

The pair had left the dog, known as Charlie, in their garden without water and shade while they went to a barbecue.

Neighbours reported the animal, a Presa Canario and bull mastiff cross-breed, was foaming at the mouth and one said it appeared to be eating Clarke’s arm.

The court heard the “wild” and “out of control” dog sank its teeth into Clarke’s arm and dragged him around his garden; chewing his one arm off at the elbow and mauling the other.

Clarke died from multiple injuries and blood loss.

Judge Brown said Sulley and Woods were fortunate not to have been charged with manslaughter.

The dog was so aggressive it bit at the end of an armed police officer’s gun and was shot twice by a police marksman, the Liverpool Crown Court was told.

The women also pleaded guilty to three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog at an earlier hearing and have been banned from keeping dogs.

Both bull mastiff and Presa Canario dogs are large powerful breeds but they are not banned in the UK.

Agencies/Canadajournal