Pensioner, 76, is ‘absolutely terrified’ of dogs after neighbour’s out-of-control Staffordshire bull terrier bit her face, arms, hand and back in vicious garden attack, court hears
- Jacqueline McGrew, 76, suffered bite injuries across her body during the attack
- David Wilson, 57, has been convicted of having a dog dangerously out of control
A pensioner has been left ‘absolutely terrified’ of dogs after her neighbour’s out-of-control Staffordshire bull terrier bit her face, arms, hand and back in a vicious attack, a court had heard.
Jacqueline McGrew, 76, suffered bite injuries across her body after she was attacked from behind by the dog in the garden of her neighbour’s property in Blackburn, Lancashire, in June 14 last year.
She had gone to visit her neighbour, but was immediately attacked as she entered the garden and the the dog, named Kia, only stopped biting her when sprayed with a hosepipe.
Following a Lancashire Police probe, David Wilson, 57, was charged with being the owner/person in charge of dog dangerously out of control causing injury. He was convicted today.
Following the attack, Jacqueline was left requiring surgery on her head, suffered a broken nose and the sight in her right eye was affected for a week. She had to spend two weeks in hospital.
Jacqueline McGrew, 76, suffered bite injuries across her body after she was attacked from behind by the dog
Following a Lancashire Police probe, David Wilson, 57, was charged with being the owner/person in charge of dog dangerously out of control causing injury
Jacqueline had gone to visit her neighbour on June 14 last year but when she went onto the garden, the dog, who was called Kia, immediately attacked her
She says she is now ‘absolutely terrified’ of dogs and is ‘having to change how I live my daily life’ because of her fear.
Jacqueline added: ‘I am absolutely terrified of any dog now. If I am on my mobility scooter and I see a dog, even across the road I freeze, I panic and I don’t know what to do.
‘I’m terrified that the dog might do something. I was outside a shop waiting for a taxi the other day and there was another customer with a dog.
‘They just walked past and the dog approached me and the lady said to the dog something like ‘that lady has nothing in her trolley for you’.
‘I didn’t even turn round, I froze, I was frightened, I didn’t know what to do and the lady probably thought I was really ignorant and I’m not, I was just thinking please get your dog away.
‘The dog probably wasn’t going to do anything but I was terrified. I have always loved animals, and I am having to change how I live my daily life.
‘When I’m at home if I hear a dog barking I get really anxious and I’m looking where my cats are and where the dog might be. I worry about my cats being out now.’
Despite now being ‘frightened of seeing a dog’, the pensioner has said is determined to not ‘spend the final years of my life staying in and becoming a hermit’.
She continued: ‘I have always been independent and I volunteer at a community scheme where I go every day to help the people on the estate where I live.
‘I have done this for around 30 years. I am frightened of seeing a dog on the street and I freeze, terrified of what it might do to me.
She says she is now ‘absolutely terrified’ of dogs and is ‘having to change how I live my daily life’ because of her fear
Wilson admitted the offence at Burley Magistrates’ Court today. He will be sentenced on May 3 at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court
The significant facial injuries Jacqueline suffered in the attack, which left her having to spend two weeks in hospital
‘There are people who visit the community office with dogs and they will stand at the doorway and chat rather than bringing the dog into the office.
‘I still go out and try and live my life normally as I will not let this beat me. I will not spend the final years of my life staying in and becoming a hermit because of what happened.’
Wilson admitted the offence at Burley Magistrates’ Court today. He will be sentenced on May 3 at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court.
The dog has since been put down.
DC Vicky Heys, of Blackburn CID, said: ‘This was a shocking attack which resulted in Jacqueline receiving a number of nasty injuries.
‘These are some of the worst injuries I have seen in my time as a police officer, certainly from a dog attack.
‘The impact of this attack on Jacqueline continues to remain with her and probably will for the remainder of her life.
‘One witness described Jacqueline’s scrams as being harrowing, so this is something that has clearly impacted on the community as well. I welcome the guilty plea and the fact that somebody has taken responsibility for this crime.’
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