A dog owner whose out-of-control XL bully left a 12-year-old with horrific injuries today blamed the domestic violence victim for his cruel behavior.
Just days after the government announced the breed would be banned in England and Wales from December 31 following a spate of deadly attacks, Paula Jenkins pleaded guilty to attacking the schoolboy.
Syed Gardazee was mauled by the powerfully built pet – named Milo – as he cycled past his home in Oldham on October 22, leaving him with ‘potentially life-changing injuries’.
Hero neighbor Claudia Stoicu, 31, was also attacked after she came to the aid of the stricken youth.
Syed was rushed to hospital and spent more than three hours in surgery after the XL bully ripped his arms. His family told how they feared their son was dead and would not be alive if it had not been for the neighbors.
Jenkins, 43, pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing a dangerously out-of-control dog when she appeared at Tameside Magistrates’ Court.
Afterwards, she said she was sorry her dog had attacked two people, but claimed the attack was caused by domestic abuse she had suffered.
Syed Gardazee, 12, was mauled by the dog as he cycled past his home in Oldham on October 22, leaving him with ‘potentially life-changing injuries’.
Syed Gardazee, 12, in hospital in Manchester after being mauled by a suspected XL Bully dog on Sunday, October 22
Paula Jenkins’ dog, Milo. Jenkins said her dog had never been aggressive before
“Of course I regret what happened,” she said. ‘But the circumstances behind it were really annoying.
‘Milo has been like a baby to me and I was traumatized when I saw what he did to the boy.
‘He has never been aggressive and is normally a happy dog who is great with children.
‘But I was with an abusive partner for five months and Milo witnessed it all.’
Earlier, Tineka O’Mara, prosecuting, told how Syed had driven past the dog when it ‘clung to his right arm’.
He tried to resist but “pulled him off his bike,” she said, leaving him with “severe lacerations” described as “potentially life-changing.”
Members of the public – later joined by Jenkins himself – tried to get the dog off him with brooms, a car tyre, metal poles and other objects, the court heard, but the attack continued.
When he finally ran off, he approached Ms Stoicu and dragged her to the ground.
Emily Calman, defending, said Jenkins had experienced domestic abuse and blamed it for the dog attack.
“She feels like the dog saw the abuse and that’s why he ran away and behaved the way he did,” she said.
Jenkins, from Oldham, will be sentenced later this month.
Paula Jenkins will be sentenced later this month after the attack on 12-year-old Syed
The breeding and sale of American XL Bully dogs will be banned at the end of this year – and in February a ban on keeping them without a certificate will follow (file image)
After the attack, Syed’s father, Ahmad Gardazee, 52, said his neighbors had ‘risked their lives’ to prevent the beast from causing further damage.
“People said the boy was dead.” he said.
“It was traumatic.”
Ms Stoicu’s father Londan added: ‘The dog had a hold of him and she was trying to open its jaws.
“She says if she hadn’t gone to help, the boy would have died because the dog tried to bite his neck.”
US XL bullies are said to have been responsible for at least twelve deadly attacks in the past two years.
Rules coming into effect at the end of this year will make it illegal to breed, sell, advertise, trade, donate, rehome, abandon or allow them to wander.
Owners must muzzle dogs and keep them on a leash in public.