The owners of a perilous Akita dog, the North Wales attempted Child Killers, Kayleigh Godbert and Thomas Moir, that attacked a toddler, resulting in “breathtaking” and life-altering facial damage for the child, have been incarcerated.
Kayleigh Godbert, 39, and Thomas Moir, 38, from North Wales, were both sentenced to 18 months in prison today after admitting to possessing or being responsible for a dog that was dangerously out of control and caused injury.
A judge at Mould Crown Court was informed that the toddler sustained six bites to the head and face and will bear lifelong scars.
The court was informed that Thomas Moir had consumed alcohol for 18 hours and was asleep during the incident. A judicial mandate forbids the identification of the injured minor.
Prosecutor Emmalyne Downing elucidated that Kayleigh Godbert acquired the Akita via the Pets4Homes website for £150. However, in the spring, the dog exhibited aggression and bit another person.
A woman subsequently cautioned Moir, “That dog could have torn them to shreds.” She implored Thomas Moir to “dispose of the dog due to its untrustworthiness”.
However, he did not, and some months later, it adversely affected the victim in this case, the court heard. An ambulance was summoned to the location.
Paramedics found the child with a severe head laceration and a face damage necessitating hospitalisation.
His Honour Judge Simon Mills underscored that the initial event should have acted as a “definitive warning that the dog presented a danger”.
Addressing the defendants, he stated: “I acknowledge that you attempted to rehome or muzzle it; however, it must not have been muzzled, as it inflicted the injuries it did.
“It bit the youngster six times. The injuries sustained in what seems to have been an unrestrained dog attack were alarming, and although the medical professionals have effectively repaired those injuries, the child nevertheless bears the scars to this day.
The judge noted that an expert’s evaluation revealed the child’s wounds are “deteriorating over time.” He clarified that the dog was “completely beyond” the defendants’ control.
Judge Mills characterised the injuries as “truly breathtaking” and asserted that the dog ought to have been euthanised before the incident occurred.
Although the dog has subsequently been euthanised, the judge stated that this “pales into insignificance in comparison to what it did to (the child).” He determined that this situation might and should have been anticipated.
Kayleigh Godbert and Thomas Moir were incarcerated and prohibited from possessing or maintaining a dog for a duration of seven years.
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