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Owner of dog that killed 11-month-old jailed for possessing dangerous animal Owner of dog that killed baby girl is jailed for possessing dangerous animal
(34 minutes later)
The owner of a dog that mauled an 11-month-old baby to death has been jailed for 18 weeks after being found guilty of possessing a dangerous animal. The owner of a dog that mauled an 11-month-old girl to death has been jailed for 18 weeks after being found guilty of possessing a dangerous animal.
Lee Wright, 27, pleaded not guilty to having in his possession or custody a fighting dog, Snoop, which killed Ava-Jayne Corless in February last year as he and the baby’s mother slept. Lee Wright pleaded not guilty to possessing a fighting dog, which killed Ava-Jayne Corless in February last year as he and the baby’s mother slept.
He was convicted of the offence at Blackburn magistrates court on Tuesday after a two-day trial.He was convicted of the offence at Blackburn magistrates court on Tuesday after a two-day trial.
District judge Gerald Chalk said: “It is my intention to send you to prison today. I found you guilty, I accept culpability is not the highest because you did not know the dog was a pit bull type. District judge Gerald Chalk said: “It is my intention to send you to prison today. I found you guilty. I accept culpability is not the highest because you did not know the dog was a pit bull type.
“You allowed a dog of nine stone in weight to have contact with a young child asleep in your bed. You were aware that dog had access. That dog killed that child in an offence of the gravest harm imaginable. “You allowed a dog of nine stone in weight to have contact with a young child asleep in your bed. You were aware that dog had access. That dog killed that child in an offence of the gravest harm imaginable. Only a custodial sentence can be justified. You clearly felt the tragedy and have shown some remorse.”
“Only a custodial sentence can be justified. You clearly felt the tragedy and have shown some remorse.” Wright, 27, was also banned from keeping a dog for five years and must pay a statutory victim surcharge. Judge Chalk added: “I ask you to think very carefully in the next five years whether you are in a fit state to keep a dog.”
Wright was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison. He is also banned from keeping a dog for five years and must pay a statutory victim surcharge. The defence accepted that Wright was the keeper of the dog, Snoop, that fatally attacked Ava-Jayne. Wright had disputed that Snoop was a banned pit bull-type dog in contravention of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, claiming that he had believed it to be an American bulldog.
Judge Chalk added: “I ask you to think very carefully in the next five years to think whether you are in a fit state to keep a dog.” The judge agreed that there was no evidence to suggest Wright had known the dog was of a prohibited breed. He added that both expert witnesses had relied on the American Dog Breeders Association as standard in making their assessment of the dog, but said it was “comment rather than definitive”.
The defence accepted that Wright was the keeper of the dog that attacked and killed Ava-Jayne. Wright had disputed that Snoop was a banned pit bull-type dog in contravention of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, claiming he had believed it to be an American bulldog. Ava-Jayne suffered multiple injuries inflicted by the dog as she slept alone in the bedroom at the home of Wright, her mother’s then boyfriend, in Blackburn on 10 February 2014.
The judge agreed there was no evidence to suggest Wright had known the dog was of a prohibited breed. He added that both expert witnesses had relied on the American Dog Breeders Association as standard in making their assessment of the dog, but said it was “comment rather than definitive”. The dog was put down within an hour of the attack. Ava-Jayne’s mother, Chloe King, 21, and Wright said they had fallen asleep on the settee downstairs and believed that the dog was in the kitchen blocked in by a speaker and a golf bag stand. Both were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and child neglect before being bailed and later told they would not face those charges.
Ava-Jayne suffered multiple injuries inflicted by the dog as she slept alone in the bedroom at the home of Wright, who was her mother’s boyfriend, in Blackburn on 10 February 2014. Peter Olsen, a retired vet who was brought as an expert witness for the crown, said he was satisfied the dog had conformed to the type of a pit bull terrier. Olsen said the dog had a heavily muscled front and was finely boned at the rear, a known characteristic exhibited by pit bull terriers. He also cited the strength of the dog’s skull, heavy solid legs and the size, depth and shape of the eyes as quintessential of a pit bull terrier.
The dog was put down within an hour of the attack. Ava-Jayne’s mother, Chloe King, 21, and Wright said they had fallen asleep on the settee downstairs and believed the dog was in the kitchen blocked in by a speaker and a golf bag stand. But Elizabeth Kendal Shepherd, a vet and animal behaviour expert, said she was “unable to form any reliable opinion” about the dog’s breed.
Both were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and child neglect before they were bailed and later told they would not face those charges.
Peter Olsen, a retired veterinary surgeon who was brought as an expert witness for the crown, said he was satisfied the dog had conformed to the type of a pit bull terrier. Olsen said the dog had a heavily muscled front and was finely boned at the rear, a known characteristic exhibited by pit bull terriers.
He also cited the strength of the dog’s skull, heavy solid legs and the size, depth and shape of the eyes as quintessential of a pit bull terrier.
But veterinary surgeon and animal behaviour expert Elizabeth Kendal Shepherd said she was “unable to form any reliable opinion” about the breed.
The court heard that Wright had believed the dog was an American bulldog. Gareth Price, his solicitor, said the dog had attended a veterinary surgery on “many occasions”, adding: “Nobody at the veterinary practice had alerted Mr Wright to the fact it was a pit bull terrier. It was recorded at the vets as an American bulldog.”The court heard that Wright had believed the dog was an American bulldog. Gareth Price, his solicitor, said the dog had attended a veterinary surgery on “many occasions”, adding: “Nobody at the veterinary practice had alerted Mr Wright to the fact it was a pit bull terrier. It was recorded at the vets as an American bulldog.”
Price said the RSPCA had cause to speak to Wright about the dog and that “nothing was mentioned that Snoop was of a type prohibited”. He added that Wright had been left “upset” after the events of last year.Price said the RSPCA had cause to speak to Wright about the dog and that “nothing was mentioned that Snoop was of a type prohibited”. He added that Wright had been left “upset” after the events of last year.
The court was also told Wright had been convicted of harassing King last October.The court was also told Wright had been convicted of harassing King last October.