11-stone beasts that savaged girl aged 2
Attack left toddler with life-changing facial injuries
THIS is the dog breeder whose powerful, 11- stone animals savaged a two-year-old girl as she played in a garden.
Andrew McGowan, 35, appeared in court yesterday and admitted allowing them to be dangerously out of control.
He became emotional as the court heard how four of his so-called American Bully XXL dogs left the young victim with ‘life-changing’ facial injuries.
He faces two and a half years in jail when he is sentenced next month.
The victim’s 57-year- old aunt, who was babysitting the toddler and other children, was bitten on the arm when she tried to save them after McGowan’s animals broke through a fence into her back garden.
Residents rushed to help in the Dingle area of Liverpool at 3.30pm on Sunday after hearing the aunt scream: ‘The dog’s got the baby.’ She then ran from the dogs with the injured toddler in her arms. The infant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was taken to Alder Hey children’s hospital by helicopter.
Appearing at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, McGowan, who has posted a string of pictures of his dogs on social media, pleaded guilty to having dogs dangerously out of control. The little girl’s family are said to have been left ‘shocked and devastated’. Rob Youds, prosecuting, said: ‘The dogs broke through the fence, inflicting serious, life- changing injuries, including injuries to [the girl’s] face.
‘An aunt suffered injuries to her arm. Other neighbours assisted in bringing the situa- tion under control.’ Mr Youds said the dogs involved in the attack – named Rogue, Hero, Pea and Ferrea – were kept in an ‘unsecure’ outside pen at the rear of McGowan’s home when they escaped and broke through his fence into the garden belonging to the victim’s aunt. He added: ‘The dogs had been left unattended while Mr McGowan was out.’
The court was told that McGowan had been breeding ‘a number of large-breed dogs’ from the address for years.
As a result, the aunt had been plagued by barking and the smell of dog mess, Mr Youds said, adding: ‘There was one previous incident where one of the dogs came through the fence and chased a cat.’
As a result of that incident, McGowan was supposed to have repaired the fence.
The breeder, who has a previous criminal conviction, had been in custody since his arrest on Sunday. He was granted conditional bail to stay at a different address and must not keep dogs or contact the victims or their families.
He will be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court next month.
The injured toddler remains at Alder Hey, where her injuries were yesterday said to be ‘serious but not life threatening’.
Her aunt was treated at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. Police seized 11 dogs – including six puppies – from the house McGowan shares with his girlfriend, Rebecca Metcalfe. Two of the animals – which are not a banned breed – were destroyed after the attack.