Woman who was looking after an XL Bully dog that ravaged a child is sentenced
A woman who was looking after an XL Bully dog that ravaged a four-year-old boy in Liverpool has been sentenced.
Stacy Smith had been looking after her partner’s dog, “Nola” for around ten days in her home in Wellsbourne Place in Liverpool.
On 13 August 2022, a four-year-old boy who lived nearby called at Stacy’s house to ask if he could play with Stacy’s son. As the boy got to the front door, Nola started barking, pushed past Ms Smith and attacked the boy by biting his head and refusing to let go.
The young boy’s mum and multiple neighbours who heard the screaming attempted to release the boy from Nola’s grip but were unable to. One of the neighbours, described seeing the blood on the front path, and Nola, who was baring her teeth, lunging, and barking aggressively and with blood on her teeth and neck.
He tried to enter the garden, but the dog would not let him, so he came back bearing a golf club for his defence. The dog went for his hand, so he hit the dog with the golf club. He was able to get into the garden, and with some assistance from other neighbours, they were able to clear a path to the child.
Ms Smith was then able to usher the dog into the back garden. Mr Corran then got into his aunt’s car, and she drove them to Fazakerley hospital.
The child was transferred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, due to the extent of his injuries. He had suffered a fracture to his head which caused a leak of the fluid on his brain, as well as multiple cuts to his face, head, and neck. The child has since also suffered from headaches and flashbacks and has been given some psychological assistance. Nola was euthanised sometime after the incident.
Ms Smith was interviewed by police after the incident and was eventually charged with overseeing a dog which was dangerously out of control and subsequently causing injury to a child.
She pleaded Guilty at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on 16 May 2023 and was sentenced (28 September 2023) at Liverpool Crown Court to a nine-month jail term, suspended for 18 months. She must also do 60 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of a rehabilitation activity.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Michael Cain, of CPS Mersey Cheshire said: “The injuries this dog inflicted on this small child were horrific. The child was very lucky to survive.
“The Crown Prosecution Service said that Ms Stacey did not do enough to intervene or prevent the attack. The actions of her neighbours prevented things getting very much worse.”