Staffy's bloody rampage in Wakefield left woman with three dog teeth embedded in her wounds

The dog escaped from its garden in Normanton while the owner was out and sank its teeth into three people in total, and another dog. The woman’s injuries meant she required surgery, was forced to give up her job after being off work for 10 weeks and still walks with a limp.

The dog’s owner, Natasha Haden, appeared at Leeds Crown Court this morning where she admitted three counts of being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury.

The court heard that the dog, Buddy, had managed to get free from the garden on Granville Street on September 16, 2022. A dog walker and his own pet were approached by Buddy who initially appeared friendly but then bit the neck of the man’s dog.

The man was then bitten on the forearm as he managed to remove the dog from his own. They then fled the scene and to a nearby care home, but were pursued by Buddy who launched another attack on the defenceless dog and “would not let go”, despite another man getting involved and kicking Buddy. A further male managed to prise open the jaws of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the dog ran off.

But it returned a short time later and began attacking the female care worker who was helping the other injured dog. The dog ripped her Achilles heel as one of the males tried to fight the dog off again and received scratches to his arm.

The dog also bit the woman on her legs. She required surgery with the three teeth found in the wound. She had nine bite marks across three limbs, the court heard.

Haden, 33, was later interviewed by police and said she had thought the dog had been left securely. She has no previous convictions. The dog had been taken from her since the day of the attack and had accrued almost £13,000 in kennels fees.

A statement was also presented to the court suggesting the dog had escaped previously and had shown aggression, although it did not attack. Haden said she knew nothing of this.

Mitigating, Eleanor Mitten said that Haden did not usually keep the dog outside but did so on that day to keep him away from another of her dogs which was “on heat”.

Miss Mitten said: “She has shown remorse and shown acceptance of her guilt from the very beginning of the proceedings.” She said that there were statements in support of the dog, describing it as “good natured” and “well behaved”.

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She said that Haden had also now put up a six-foot-high fence around the garden, installed a triple lock on the gate and cameras to ensure he would not escape in future.

Judge Richard Mansell KC told Haden: “I find it impossible to accept that you did not know anything about his previous aggressive behaviour.” He also described the previous measures to stop him from escaping as being “totally inadequate”.

He gave Haden a nine-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months and ordered her to pay £2,000 compensation to female victim, and £750 and £300 to the two men injured. He accepted she did not have the fund to cover the kennel costs.

He allowed her to keep the dog, but put a contingent destruction order in place, meaning it could still be put down if she first fails to get him neutered, and must keep him on a lead and muzzled at all times when out in public.