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Death penalty for dangerous bulldogs

ATTACKED: Frankie Knowlden after surgery. Picture: BARRY CRAYFORD
ATTACKED: Frankie Knowlden after surgery. Picture: BARRY CRAYFORD

TWO American bulldogs which attacked a schoolboy causing serious injuries must be destroyed, magistrates have ruled.

After a two-day civil case brought by Swale Borough Council at Sittingbourne court, the bench decided that Blitz and Judge, owned by Thomas Abrahams, of Falcon Gardens, Minster, Sheppey, were dangerous and out of control when the attack happened on August 19, 2003.

Mr Abrahams, 60, who has 21 days to appeal against the decision, was also ordered to pay £2,500 costs.

He denied two offences of keeping dangerous dogs and failing to control them at his home, claiming that seven-year-old Frankie Knowlden, the dogs’ victim, and other boys had repeatedly thrown apples at the animals and taunted them while they were caged in his garden.

But court heard that Frankie, who was visting his grandparents’ Sheppey home from County Dublin in Ireland, underwent two hours of surgery and received 100 stiches after being bitten on his head, right arm, torso and right foot.

Council dog warden Magnus Ganson, who investigated the incident, told magistrates Frankie’s injuries were the worst he had seen in 15 years’ service.

The court heard that Frankie was playing with football with his brother and step-brother in their rear garden when the ball went into Mr Abraham’s garden.

The boys knocked on the neighbour’s front door to ask for the ball back, as they had before. Getting no answer, Frankie and his step-brother Reece climbed over the rear garden fence to retrieve the ball.

Prosecutor Michael McParland said the dogs were normally kept in a big steel cage in the back garden, but on this occasion, they were free. Reece managed to climb back over the fence, but Frankie was savaged as he climbed the fence.

Frankie’s father, Matthew Knowlden, who lives in County Dublin, Ireland, said his family were visiting his late parents’ home to settle their affairs. He was indoors when he heard a bang and a scream.

He ran out of the house, saw Frankie being attacked and pulled him over the fence.

He added:“He was very shocked and pale. He was limp like a toy doll. He said:'I am going to die'.”

Mr Abrahams claimed he had grabbed both dogs by their collars during the attack to restrain them and pushed Frankie over the fence to safety.

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