Toothless Law, Or Toothless Judges?

Susan Parry’s dog Zeus attacked little Alfie Cannons just two months after it pulled Lara Bodour to the ground leaving her with two bleeding puncture wounds.

Parry, had been warned by police after the first incident that she should keep the dog muzzled and on a lead when out in future but did not do so.

What a shock, right?

When interviewed by police Parry, of Liverpool Road, Great Sankey, said that the little girl had been running about and screeching but did not think that was why Zeus attacked her and the other victim had also been screeching with his friend.

She admitted she had been warned after the first incident to keep the dog muzzled and on a lead.

Parry, 52, admitted two offences of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury.

Bang to rights, should be an easy judgement. Until you find a judge that's willing to overlook the evidence, of course.

Sentencing her to three months imprisonment suspended for nine months Judge Elizabeth Nicholls said that although fortuitously neither victim was seriously injured they were significant injuries and they have been left scarred and apprehensive of large dogs.

She told Parry, who kept interrupting to say, “I’m so sorry” that the second offence was the most serious because she had ignored the police advice after the first incident.

Judge Nicholls said: “For whatever reason you decided you knew better and took the risk. The second incident could have been foreseen because it had happened before in the same sort of circumstances.”

She also told Parry that she accepted she was full of remorse and had voluntarily gone to the police each time. She added that she had read character references on her behalf and that of the dog.

I'd love to know who wrote the ones for the dog!

The judge made a contingency destruction order meaning that the dog must be muzzled and on a short lead when out but she decided against banning her from owning a dog.

/facepalm