Leeds woman admits dangerous dog charge after toddler was savaged 'like a rag doll' by Japanese Akita at garden party

The animal clamped its jaws around the toddler’s face and shook him “like a rag doll” during the incident at the property in Armley.

A court heard how the same dog attacked an eight-year-old child the previous day but the its owner, Dawn Watterson, failed to take action to stop her pet harming another youngster.

Watterson, of Beech Lane, Gipton, was handed a suspended prison sentence at Leeds Crown Court after she pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dangerously out of control dog, causing injury.

The 40-year-old mum was also banned from owning a dog for ten years.

The court heard Watterson’s dog was put down shortly after the attack on the toddler.

Jade Edwards, prosecuting, said Watterson took the dog to her friend's home on May 29, 2020, where a barbecue was being held in the garden.

Ms Edwards said the animal was not kept on a lead.

The attack happened shortly after the toddler stroked the dog.

The animal began walking away after being petted but turned around when the boy fell over onto his front.

The dog then walked back to him and took hold of him by the face and shook him violently.

Other people in the garden managed to stop the attack and pulled the dog out of the way.

The toddler was left screaming and there was a large amount of blood.

Police were contacted and officers filmed the toddler's injuries on their body-worn cameras.

Watterson rushed over to the dog after the incident and put it on a lead before taking it to another address.

The boy was taken to hospital by ambulance where he had to undergo surgery to wounds around his eye and to his cheek.

He has been left with permanent scarring.

Ms Edwards said the dog was put down after the attack.

As police carried out an investigation they were informed that the same dog had attacked an eight-year-old child the previous day.

The child was left with facial bruising during the incident.

Watterson pleaded guilty on the day of her trial.

Stuart Field, mitigating, said Watterson, has no previous convictions.

Mr Field said: "There is not a day goes by when Miss Watterson doesn't feel the guilt and responsibility, morally at the very least, for this incident.

"It is a one-off incident and a very tragic one for a woman who has never troubled the police or the courts in 40 years."

Mr Field said Watterson had become a mum since the incident and her child would suffer if she was sent immediately to prison.

Watterson was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

She was also made the subject of an electronically tagged curfew for three months.

Sentencing, Judge Ray Singh said: "Your dog grabbed (the victim) by his face in his jaws and violently shook him, I anticipate, like a rag doll.

"It was only because of the timely intervention of others that they managed to stop the attack.

"He is going to have to live with this for the rest of his life.

"The blame for that, I am afraid, falls squarely with you.

"I accept that the dog has been put down.

"It should have happened before this incident occurred when you were aware of that dog's temperament on the earlier occasion.

"(The victim) is going to have to go through nursery, school and adulthood with that disfigurement."