Girl, 7, scarred for life after she's savagely mauled by pit bull terrier dog off its lead

A seven-year-old girl savagely mauled by a pit bull terrier-type dog on the outfield of a cricket club suffered 'mental trauma and terror' as well as 'appalling' injuries, a court heard. Owner Robert Parsons, 27, has now been convicted and sentenced after the horror attack at Micklehurst Cricket Club in Mossley, Tameside, in October last year.

A court heard two dogs called Reggie and Barney, both aged two, were being walked by Parsons and his partner around the boundary. One wasn't on a lead. The girl, who can't be named, was with her parents at the club when she ran out onto the outfield.

The dog off its lead ran over to her, jumped up at her and knocked her over, Minshull Street Crown Court was told on Friday. Parsons, who it's believed played cricket at the club, ran to help, but the dog knocked her over again, said Katherine Wright, prosecuting.

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The second dog then 'slipped' its lead, ran over to the schoolgirl and bit her on the leg. Ms Wright said the girl's dad put his full weight on the dog and grabbed its neck, with Parsons also trying to release its grip on her.

Once the dog let go, the girl was carried inside the club. Ms Wright said her leg was bleeding and paramedics as well as the air ambulance attended. The court heard she was taken to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital where she underwent plastic surgery for four hours. She suffered 'several substantial' wounds to her leg.

The court heard the wound went through her skin and muscle and she couldn't walk. She's only just finished physiotherapy and there are 'concerns' she may need further skin grafts, Ms Wright said. "She will have permanent scarring," the prosecutor added.

Powerful victim impact statements were read to the court.

The girl's dad said the attack was 'always at the forefront of my mind' and told how he still hears his daughter's screams from the scene 'all the time'. He told how she won't go near any other dogs now, despite previously having loved animals, and screams when she hears barking.

The girl's mum added in her statement: "Our little girl, through no fault of her own, was hurt. All she did was walk outside with her dad. She used to be such an animal lover and loved all dogs. I now keep thinking to myself, when will she be okay? When will she be back to normal? The incident has turned our lives upside down.

"She now believes it was her fault and is terrified of dogs." The girl was also said to have had dreams about running away and being scared.

Simran Garcha, defending Parsons, called what happened a 'devastating incident that will have a profound impact'. "He is overwhelmed with guilt and cannot apologise to the family enough," she said. "He does not view himself to be a victim. The guilt and the regret has been eating away at him.

"There is a clear distinction between somebody who is genuinely sorry to somebody who is only sorry for themselves. He is the former. The remorse in this case is sincere."

Ms Garcha said the dogs hadn't displayed aggressive behaviour before and what happened was out of character. Parsons, she added, wasn't aware they were pit bull-type dogs and bought them believing they were Staffordshire Bull Terriers, a fact the judge said she accepted. "He is someone of impeccable character," said Ms Garcha.

Parsons, of Knott Hill Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of being an owner/person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury, and two counts of possessing/having custody of a fighting dog.

He was jailed for six months, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 170 hours of unpaid work in the community. Judge Tina Landale also ordered him to pay £3,000 in compensation to the girl. The court heard Parsons, a quality inspection engineer, took the decision to have the dogs, which he had since they were puppies, put to sleep in March.

Judge Landale said the cricket club was a place for families and children and the girl was enjoying a day out when she was attacked.

She called her injuries 'appalling' and said she would be 'permanently scarred', saying the girl had suffered 'mental trauma and terror'.

"Those dogs were strong and powerful," Judge Landale told Parsons. "Whilst you didn't appreciate they were pit bull-types, their power and size was obvious. One dog was not on a lead, the other was inadequately restrained. All dogs can behave unexpectedly."