A pregnant woman was left with these life-changing injuries after a close friend's dog mauled her face until it was 'hanging off'.
Laura
Holmes, 21, said she feared she and her unborn baby would die when
the American Akita dog attacked her as she sat sending a text message.
The animal leapt up and tore at her face, ripping chunks of flesh from her mouth and cheeks, leaving her needing 60 stitches.
Friends
then tried to drag the pet off her and only succeeded when they
repeatedly kicked the dangerous dog, which was later destroyed.
The
dog's owner has become the first in Britain to be prosecuted under
tough new laws after failing to control the seven stone Akita.WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW
Before: Miss Holmes, left before the attack, says she is lucky to be alive after the attack while she was pregnant, right
Miss Holmes, from Nottingham, was rushed to Queen's Medical Centre, where surgeons battled to save her face and her baby.
Laura
had to give birth to baby Nathaniel - now 15 weeks old - by C-section
because doctors felt she may not be able to withstand the pain of a
natural birth due to her injuries.
In
a landmark prosecution, the dog's owner, Tracie Taylor, received a
16-week jail sentence suspended for a year and was ordered to pay Laura
just £1000 in compensation.
Under
new laws changed on May 13 - just a day before Laura was left with
life-changing injuries - owners can be taken to court if the animal is
dangerous and out of control.
The
dog, Koda, was destroyed shortly after the attack when Taylor, also from
Nottingham, surrendered it to police and she has also been banned from
owning any animals in the future.
'I thought I was going to die - I was so afraid for my life and my unborn baby's life,' the victim said.
'The doctors told me my injuries were so bad I am lucky to be alive.
'My face was hanging off and I've been left with really awful scarring. I'm too upset to even look in the mirror now.
Shocking:
This is Laura Holmes after a friend's dog bit her repeatedly in the face
while pregnant - and later doctors decided to deliver her baby by
c-section because she was in so much pain
Dangerous: This is Koda, the American
Akita who attacked Laura Holmes. It was destroyed shortly after the
attack and it emerged it had already bitten someone else four years
earlier
In the
dock: In a landmark prosecution, the dog's owner, Tracie Taylor,
received a 16-week jail sentence suspended for a year and was ordered to
pay Laura, right during her recovery, £1,000 in compensation
Painful: Miss Holmes also has the scars from the attack all over her body, including her arms
'I've
never been so scared. I was sitting in my friend's house sending a text
- she'd had the dog for about seven years and I'd never even seen it
growl before.
'I
looked up from my phone and then I saw this dog launching itself at me -
and before I knew it I was in the worst pain I'd ever felt in my life.
'My
first thought was for my baby - I was terrified the attack would mean I
would lose him. I was trying to scream and tear the dog off my face but
he wouldn't let go.
'My
friends were screaming and trying to grab the dog, but when it let go
of my face it grabbed my leg - it was chasing me through the house.
'I would never normally hurt a dog but I had to start booting it to get it off me.
'I ran to the bathroom and stood over the sink. When I looked down I saw my own flesh had fallen into the sink.'
The dog had already bitten someone else four years earlier, but due to the law at the time no prosecution had been brought.
Laura
added: 'This never should have happened to me because it bit someone
before but nothing was done about it. he dog chased me through two rooms
- it wouldn't stop.
'There was no barking or growling - it just went for my face and that was that.
'My
hair was soaked in blood so they cut it all off and I wasn't allowed to
wash my face after the first surgery which took six and a half hours.'
Laura
was operated on at Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham, and is due to
have further facial surgery in December and is still struggling to eat
and drink after the assault.
Nottingham Magistrates Court heard yesterday that it was the second time that the dog had attacked someone.
Innocent: Heavily pregnant Laura Holmes was sending a text when Koda suddenly leapt up and tore at her face
David Miles, prosecuting, said: 'Laura went upstairs and saw the dog looking out of the window.
'She sat on the bed and looked at her phone and with no warning the dog bit her face.
'She
tried to get off the bed and the dog then bit her on the right arm and
as she turned away from the animal it bit her on the left leg.
'Laura ran from the room to the bathroom but the dog managed to get hold of her left arm this time and started to pull.
'She managed to get in the bathroom and when she looked down she saw her own flesh in the sink.
'The defendant's daughter took down the mirror so she could not look at what had happened.'
Taylor represented herself in court and said: 'I can't sleep at night and have considered ending it all.
'I am leaving Nottingham because it is not fair that the family have to see me all the time after what happened.'
Magistrate Geoff Jordan said: 'We accept no amount of money could compensate the victim.
'It is not the court's view that this is how much the injury is worth and if we could award more we would.'
Dogs'
legislation officer PC Steve Feary said: 'I believe this is the first
conviction of its kind for Nottinghamshire and one of the first for the
country.
'But
no one wins here. Laura was badly injured that evening and she will
carry the physical scars with her for the rest of her life, not to
mention the psychological effects she continues to battle - and all this
while trying to raise a new baby.
'I hope this serves as reminder that being a pet owner, and particularly a dog owner, brings with it accountability.
'If
someone dies as a result of your dog attacking them you could face up
to 14 years' imprisonment. If they are injured it's up to five years.'
.JPG)
No comments:
Post a Comment