Owner of dogs who left six-year-old girl with life-changing injuries jailed

The owner of dangerously out of control dogs that left a six-year-old girl with life-changing injuries after attacking her outside her home has been jailed.

Bernard Valentine, 36, from Trafford, had his dogs dangerously out of control in December 2022 when a man and his dog were attacked and in March 2023 when a six-year-old girl was attacked and received life-changing injuries.

At about 9pm on 20 December 2022, a couple were walking their 11-year-old dalmatian, Louie, on Ackers Lane in Carrington, Trafford.

As they reached the end of the lane, they heard a male voice shouting and saw six dogs running towards them growling aggressively.

A few of the dogs went for Louie; one of the larger dogs pinned him down and bit him.

Valentine then appeared and led four of the dogs away, but the two remaining dogs followed the couple home and attacked the man on his doorstep before attacking Louie again.

A passing truck driver hit the dogs with a heavy work jacket and the dogs ran away.

Louie received veterinary treatment for 11 injuries, including one to his neck which could have been fatal. The man attended hospital to be treated for injuries to his leg.

At 2.20pm on 26 March a six-year-old girl's mother heard dogs growling and her daughter screaming outside their home in Carrington, Trafford.

When she ran outside, she saw the girl lying face down on the ground, with several dogs on top of her. 

The child's mother then tried to pull the dogs off and picked up her daughter as they continued the attack. She ran into a neighbour's house and when she turned back the dogs had run away.

Her parents drove the child who was covered in blood and had torn clothes to Wythenshawe Hospital. She had sustained serious injuries to her face, scalp, hand, abdomen, arms, leg, back and shoulder. She was transferred to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital for treatment, including plastic surgery.

When police attended the defendant's parents' home nearby, they found an enclosure where the dogs were kept, which was 15 feet long and 6 feet high.

It contained a number of items including a motorbike, machinery and gardening equipment and was full of dog excrement.

The defendant was not present in his campervan but later told officers over the phone that he would turn himself in.

When he failed to do so, he was arrested two days later on 28 March at a friend's house.

He entered guilty pleas during three hearings between March and July 2023 to eight charges of being the owner of a dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control.

Today, Valentine was sentenced to four years and one month imprisonment. He was also banned from owning dogs for life and made the subject of a 10-year restraining order.

Nicola Wells, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said: “A young girl has been left with life-changing injuries because of Bernard Valentine's reckless actions.

“His dogs were not on leads and dangerously out of control as they launched a vicious and terrifying attack on the young victim who should have been safe playing outside her own home.

“They also caused serious injury to a dog owner and his pet who were simply out enjoying an evening walk. 

“Our thoughts are with all those affected by Valentine's actions and we hope his conviction and today's sentence brings them some sense of justice.”