Cardiff man jailed after dogs mauled mum and six-day-old baby

A Cardiff man has been jailed for two years after his three Staffordshire Bull Terriers launched a savage attack on a woman carrying her newborn baby, leaving both victims requiring surgery and one friend scarred for life.

Jason Stafford, 49, of Parracombe Crescent, Llanrumney, pleaded guilty to three counts of being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury at Newport Crown Court on Tuesday.

The horrifying attack occurred on 30 March when the three dogs set upon a mother as she carried her six-day-old baby in her arms. One of the dog’s claws caught the baby’s head and the infant was bitten, though fortunately the baby’s injuries were relatively minor.

The mother wasn’t so lucky. One dog bit her foot and locked on, with Judge Daniel Williams noting in his sentencing remarks that the pain felt by the victim was “the worst she’d ever experienced”. The judge added: “I’ve seen the photographs, which are dreadful.”

The woman was dragged to the floor with the baby still in her arms and was attacked for what she believed to be 15 minutes. Judge Williams said: “She thought they were going to be killed.”

When a friend heard her screams and tried to intervene, managing to free the woman and her baby, the three dogs turned on him instead. One latched onto his left arm and right leg in an attack that again lasted around 15 minutes. The victim said it “felt like forever”.

Eventually, Stafford was able to pacify the dogs, but the injuries sustained were described as “appalling”. The woman suffered multiple dog bites and required multiple surgical procedures as well as skin grafts and repairs to tendons. The man had multiple wounds to his face, chest, legs and arms.

Judge Williams said: “The baby was injured but not badly, the possible consequences, Mr Stafford, does not bear thinking about.”

The court heard there had been a previous incident in December where the dogs had attacked another individual and a safety plan had been put in place, but Stafford had “chosen to ignore” this. The defendant has previous convictions for affray, robbery and drink driving.

Impact on victims

In a victim personal statement read to the court by prosecutor Alice Sykes, the mother said: “Since providing my initial statement, I am receiving my fourth surgery. I cannot take part in key milestones like taking my baby swimming, especially as I am a mother for the first time. It’s taking quality time away with my son. I am on the highest dose of medication. I still feel it’s not happening. It has also affected my son but we are lucky he was not more seriously injured.”

The male victim said: “I am suffering unbearable pain which I fear I will have for my lifetime. I have sustained an excessive amount of scarring to my arms which serve as a constant reminder of the trauma and pain. My little finger sustained the most amount of damage. I often have to wrap something around it or wear gloves as it’s extremely sensitive to the weather. My mobility is extremely limited. The sound of dogs barking alone will make me jump. I feel extremely insecure and have clothing covering my scars to stop people from looking at me.”

Sentence

Defence solicitor-advocate Derrick Gooden said his client had kept the dogs since they were puppies and recognised he was responsible for the incident. The dogs have since been destroyed and the defendant has been out of trouble for more than 20 years, though he has a number of health issues.

Judge Williams told Stafford: “You showed a casual disregard for the safety of others.”

Stafford was sentenced to a total of two years imprisonment and disqualified from having custody of dogs for 10 years.