Tuesday, May 28, 2013

'I warned council over crazed dogs an hour before they mauled pensioner to death': Grandmother claims animal wardens were 'too busy' to help

Clifford Clarke, 79, died in his back garden in Clubmoor, Liverpool, on Saturday night after he was mauled by a dog
Victim: Clifford Clarke, 79, died in his back garden in Clubmoor, Liverpool, on Saturday night after he was mauled by a dog
A grandmother claims she called dog wardens to deal with two crazed dogs just an hour before one mauled a pensioner to death but was told they were 'too busy' to help.
Worried Selina Hagan said she called Liverpool City council after the snarling animals tried to get into her conservatory where she was looking after her 18-month-old grandchild.
But she was told they were too busy and she would have to wait four hours before they could come out.
Tragically around an hour later one of the dogs got into the garden of 79-year-old Clifford Clarke where it savaged the pensioner to death.
Mr Clarke had slightly burnt the lamb shank he was cooking for his evening meal so he opened his back door. The smell of the food is believed to have attracted the two large dogs.  
Mrs Hagan, 59, of Clubmoor, Liverpool, told the Daily Mirror: 'I rang the wardens over an hour before it happened at 7.29pm on Saturday, telling them they were going mad trying to get into our conservatory.
'My two grandchildren were here, one is just 18 months old. They weren't interested. We were told it would be four hours until they arrived.
'I called again an hour later to say it was too late - they'd got a man.
'If the dog wardens had listened to what we were saying, Cliff's life could have been saved.'
Mrs Hagan says she is making a formal complaint to Liverpool City council after they contradicted her version of events.
According to a council statement the animal warden service received a call from a resident reporting the two stray dogs in her garden at 7.39pm. Mrs Hagan says she contacted them well before that time.

A spokesman said: 'This was a shocking and distressing incident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of Clifford Clarke at this difficult time.
'We are working with Merseyside Police to assist their investigation. The animal warden service received a call at 7.39pm on Saturday evening from a resident in the area reporting two stray dogs in her garden.
'Wardens were in the process of making their way to the property within the two hour response period when they received a further call from the resident at 8.42pm to say the animals had left.
'Police then informed the wardens they were at Richard Kelly Place dealing with a serious incident involving a dog.'
Clifford Clarke with brother Kenny Clarke who has now called for tougher laws for dog owners after the death of his beloved sibling
Clifford Clarke with his brother Kenny. A grandmother who lives nearby said she called the council about the dogs before the attack but they said they were too busy to help
Yesterday, the family of Mr Clarke told of their shock and heartbreak at his death and called for tougher laws for animal owners.
One – a Staffordshire bull terrier crossed with a bull mastiff, according to neighbours – jumped at the retired hospital porter as he stepped out of his back door.
The dog’s jaws clamped round one of  Mr Clarke’s limbs and dragged him to  the ground where he was bitten a number of times.
Kenny Clarke, aged 70, Clifford's younger brother, has now called for tougher laws for dog owners after the death of his beloved brother.
He also released a touching image of him and his older sibling, posing with a dog.

He said: 'Cliff was a very easy-going man.
'He did his own thing and made a point about helping others.

'He loved his local pub - the Farmer's Arms - and had many old friends of his there who will miss him dearly.
'He did not deserve this so please put your support behind new laws for dog owners because you would not like any of your loved ones to have this happen to them.
'Our family are heartbroken.'
Neighbours heard his screams and rushed to the three-bedroom terraced house. One of them armed himself with a golf club and tried to beat the animal away from the pensioner.
Police at the scene removing the dog, that was shot dead by armed police, from the house in Clubmoor
Police at the scene removing the dog, that was shot dead by armed police, from the house in Clubmoor
Police forensics officers at the scene carrying out examinations
A police forensics officer at the scene after carrying out examinations
Police forensics officers at the scene carrying out examinations. Richard Kelly Close is a small cul-de-sac over the road from a public park
When police arrived, four armed officers shot the dog dead. It took three of them to carry its body away.
Mr Clarke’s next-door neighbours – two women, 27 and 28 – were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter then released on bail pending further inquiries.
Another neighbour Paul McGlynn, 46, said: ‘I heard his screams – it was horrible. He seemed in a lot of pain.

‘The neighbour tried to beat them back but it was too late.’

Joiner Gary Dignan, 36, said: ‘The two huge dogs had got out a few hours before and were in people’s gardens. One [neighbour] was too frightened to go out but called someone to report it.’
The house in Richard Kelly Close, Clubmoor. It is believed he was attacked in his garden
The house in Richard Kelly Close, Clubmoor. It is believed he was attacked in his garden
He added that Mr Clarke walked with a stick and described him as ‘pretty frail’, adding that he ‘wouldn’t have stood a chance against such big dogs’.

The attack, at 9pm on Saturday in the Clubmoor district of Liverpool, is the second death by dogs in the past two months. In March, Jade Anderson, 14, was killed by two Staffordshire bull terriers and two bull mastiffs at a house in Atherton, near Wigan.
Police say they are powerless to prosecute anyone in relation to Jade’s death, because the attack happened on private property.
But when Mr Clarke was killed, he was on his own property where the dog was not permitted, which constitutes an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Powerful: A Staffordshire bull terrier crossed with a bull mastiff. File picture
Powerful: A Staffordshire bull terrier crossed with a bull mastiff. File picture
Mr Clarke, who joined the Army in 1954 for National Service, had celebrated his 79th birthday the day before the attack.

One friend Susan Carson, 60, who lives across the road in the quiet cul-de-sac, said: ‘He came round for a cup of tea at mine just before he died. He called me afterwards to say he had burnt his tea but said, “I’ll be OK”.’

She added: ‘He’s lived in that house all his life and told us that he had been born there. It is awful for him to die in such a senseless way right in his own garden.’
Police said the dog attacked the pensioner in the garden of his home in Clubmoor, Liverpool, just before 8.40pm last night
Police said the dog attacked the pensioner in the garden of his home in Clubmoor, Liverpool, just before 8.40pm last night
She said Mr Clarke had complained about the dogs and was going to report them to the police.
‘He said they could attack somebody and was worried that the  biggest dog had been trying to escape and had made a hole in  the fence that it could get through,’ she said.

‘Cliff was in a terrible state when they brought him out, he was a bloody mess. He was only wearing his underwear and one slipper.’

It is not clear whether the second dog was involved in the attack. It was not killed but put on a lead.
Police were last night questioning the two arrested women on suspicion of manslaughter.

Richard Kelly Close, in Clubmoor, is around three miles from Liverpool city centre
Richard Kelly Close, in Clubmoor, is around three miles from Liverpool city centre

DAILYMAIL

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