This Is Why We Have A Dangerous Dog Problem...

Sarah Dean’s American Bulldog, Carlo, attacked the child who was playing football outside his block of flats, in Kingsdown, on August 17 last year.

The single mum-of-two (Ed: It always is, isn't it?) had previously received letters from her housing association urging her to keep Carlo on a lead, following complaints from neighbours.

The boy, who has suffered severe physical and psychological damage, now struggles with behavioural problems including biting people.

Bang to rights, surely?

In her police interviews Dean, 43, blamed the five-year-old for what happened and denied the dog had attacked him, even when shown graphic images of the injuries.

Her brief soon got her to see sense.

Dean later pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, causing injury.

She sobbed as Judge William Hart sentenced her at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday (April 24) to a 12-month jail term...

Excellent! At last, a proper...

Oh.

...suspended for two years.

/facepalm

Nikki Coombe, mitigating, said Dean had “considerable remorse”, adding: “She was very upset when looking at the photographs of the child.”

Judge Hart replied: “Her initial response did her no credit.”

Good comeback. But neither does your leniency, judge, does it?

The prosecution has applied for the dog, which is in police custody, to be put down.

Dean opposes this and does not believe her dog is a danger to the public.

It doesn't really matter what she believes, does it?

The prosecution made an application for Dean to pay compensation to the family due to the boy’s serious psychological issues and his injuries.

Judge Hart said this was “not realistic” given the defendant’s limited means. She must complete 10 days of rehabilitation and adhere to a 16-week night curfew.

Her high dose of antidepressants made her unfit for unpaid work.

So we - the taxpayer - go on shelling out for a dangerous animal to be kept in kennels, and the other useless bitch to be kept in social housing?