Pit bull owner jailed after girl, 3, attacked

A man has been jailed after a three-year-old girl was attacked by a pit bull terrier in a pub garden.

The dog, which is a banned breed and "did not like females", attacked the child after she went over to pat it.

The girl suffered six deep lacerations to her face that have left permanent scarring, a court has heard.

Harris Vinten, of Thompson Avenue, Ormskirk, West Lancashire, was jailed for 16 months after pleading guilty to being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control in public which caused injury.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that for months after the attack, the victim had woken up screaming in the night and "talking about the big dog".

The court heard Vinten had only bought the dog the day before the attack, which happened outside the Market Tavern in Newtown Gardens, Kirkby, at about 15:00 BST on 2 September 2023.

Without knowing anything about its temperament, he had taken the dog to the pub and tied it to a fence on a long leash.

CCTV footage of the attack was played in court on Thursday.

Vinten's barrister, Frank Dillon said: "There are few more shocking films than that. It is really quite horrendous."

Judge Stuart Driver, KC, said that Vinten, who was on licence from a previous sentence at the time, had taken insufficient safety measures with the adult dog which was "big, strong and capable of causing serious injury".

He said Vinten had taken a risk and put it in a pub garden on a long lead attached to railings, allowing children to come up to it.

Witnesses had seen the dog "behaving erratically" and just two or three minutes before the incident they had seen it "barking and straining on its leash", the judge added.

He said: "The victim was a child and a little one at that. The dog was a banned breed, a pit bull terrier, although I don't have evidence that you knew that."

The judge said Vinten had "a terrible criminal record" involving 28 previous convictions, including a nine-year sentence for serious violence and arson and later sentences for assault.

"Your record shows you are a risk to the public and there is a history of non-compliance with court orders and appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody," he added.

He banned Vinten from owning a dog for four years.

Iain Criddle, prosecuting, said the victim of the attack, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was in the pub garden with family members at the time.

When people approached the pit bull, which was there with another dog, a woman with Vinten said it was OK to pat him but it was also said that the dog, described as "rowdy and excitable", did not like females.

Vinten was arrested at the scene and the victim was taken to Alder Hey Hospital where she needed plastic surgery and suffered scarring to her left cheek.

A photo shown to the judge showed the largest scar was still prominent but had faded.

A medic said there was a risk of lip deformity because of damage to the muscles and nerve but it was not then known if that would be permanent.

The court heard that the victim, who is now four, had not had any further hospital appointments and her mother said that "they just want to move on with their lives".

Frank Dillon, defending, said Vinten was living in a bail hostel in the days before the attack and had never kept a dog before.

He said that Vinten, who had mental health difficulties, should have introduced the dog in stages in public.

He told the court the defendant was remorseful and had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

"He was horrified as everyone else must have been as events unfolded," said Mr Dillon.

Merseyside Police said the dog was seized and humanely destroyed with the consent of the owner.

Det Con Beth Flintham said: "This was a horrific attack on a young girl, who suffered significant injuries to her face and required hospital treatment."

"We can only hope that this case gives a warning to dog owners, regardless of their breed of dog, about the importance of keeping their pets under control in public places," she added.

The officer said the force would "act on all information provided on suspected irresponsible dog ownership", warning that "failing to keep your dog under control can lead to the worst outcome imaginable".

Additional reporting by Lynda Roughley

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