Young sisters hurt by dog attacks in same day
A two-year-old girl and her sister were attacked by a dog, suffering 'nasty looking' injuries, within hours of each other, a court heard.
The girls were both bitten by the Akita/Husky crossbreed – one of two dogs owner Susan Russon handed over to police following the incidents.
Russon, aged 32, of The Beck, Netherton, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog allowing it to be dangerously out of control and causing injury.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that the girls, whose mother is a friend of Russon, had been fussing the dog when it turned nasty.
Defence barrister Stephen Hamblett told the court: "On July 2 last year, she was the owner of two Akita/Husky cross-breed dogs.
"Her friend has two young daughters and they were all at her house.
"One of the dogs attacked her two-year-old, and she had two small cuts.
"She was taken to hospital at around 2pm.
"They returned later that day at 6pm.
"Her other daughter, who was seven at the time, was fussing the dog, as children do.
"The dog then bit her. She sustained two cuts on her chin.
"She didn't go to hospital so there is no medical note."
But Judge James Burbidge was shown pictures of the injuries the youngster sustained.
The attack happened close to Russon's home.
Mr Hamblett added: "She handed over both dogs to the police."
Judge James Burbidge told Russon: "I take into account that you have pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
"You had no reason to believe that the dog would attack in the way that it did in the first instance, although it could be argued you should have done more as a precaution to stop the second attack from happening.
"I have seen the injuries and they are nasty looking injuries.
"I understand that you are friends with the girls' mother and you have shown remorse for what has happened.
"But you must be punished.
"It hasn't been said whether the older of the two girls will suffer from scarring. But she could suffer psychologically when confronted with a dog in the future.
"I understand you must be a dog lover, so giving them up must have been very difficult for you."
He sentenced her to 70 hours of community service.
