Neighbours had previously complained about two vicious Rottweilers before a horrific attack which left a pensioner, 78, without an arm and a leg, a court heard.
Vic Franklin, 78, was left ‘covered with blood’ with ‘life-threatening’ injuries’ after the prolonged 11-minute attack carried out by the large dogs, called Ziggy, four, and Daisy, one.
If it wasn’t for the help of a neighbour who tried to at the dogs with a spirit level, the retired security guard would have died, a court heard.
The owners, Matthew Roberts, 30, and Chloe Taylor, 27, appeared before a court today where it was heard the aggressive dogs were not given ‘enough to do’ which meant they were often ‘bored’.
The dogs lived in the garden and were often seen ‘roaming around’ and ‘showing their teeth at passers-by and Mr Franklin’s life was ‘turned upside down’, it was heard.
The court was told how the pensioner was attacked on August 18 last year near his home in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, while walking his Spaniel, Peggy.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Franklin said he had left the house in the morning, but ‘Little did I know that when I set off on that walk that my whole world would be ripped apart’.
He described himself as a healthy and active person who cared for his sick wife but following the ‘brutal attack’ – which he said he had ‘no way to protect myself’ from, his ‘life was changed forever’ and now she has to care for him.
Vic Franklin, 78, pictured, was left ‘covered with blood’ with ‘life-threatening’ injuries’ after the prolonged 11-minute attack carried out by the large dogs
When he went outside, he saw the pensioner being ‘mauled by the two Rottweilers, whose faces were covered in blood, while his dog was ‘shaking’
The owners, Matthew Roberts, 30, and Chloe Taylor, 27, pictured, appeared before a court today where it was heard the aggressive dogs were not given ‘enough to do’ which meant they were often ‘bored’
Prosecutor Ellie Fargin told Portsmouth Crown Court, Hants, that a nearby couple overheard ‘dogs barking’ and ‘shouting’ outside their home.
James Jones’ wife shouted ‘There’s a man being attacked by a dog’ which prompted him to grab a long spirit level and go outside.
When he went outside, he saw the pensioner being ‘mauled by the two Rottweilers, whose faces were covered in blood, while Peggy was ‘shaking’.
The neighbour said Ziggy was ‘chewing something that looked like skin’, and described it as the most ‘unpleasant and unnerving site he has seen’.
‘The police attended and got there as fast as they could,’ Ms Fargin said.
‘They described seeing Mr Franklin on the floor with what they said was serious injuries.
‘[They said] it looked like he had been ripped to shreds. He was covered in blood and not moving.’
The prosecutor said ‘shots were fired’ at the two dogs which prompted one to run off. They have now both been destroyed.
Mr Franklin was rushed to hospital and his injuries were both ‘extensive and very severe’, resulting in him requiring emergency resuscitation.
‘The results of the combination of all these injuries and life-threatening condition is that he had to have amputations,’ the prosecutor said.
Mr Franklin was rushed to hospital and his injuries were both ‘extensive and very severe’, resulting in him requiring emergency resuscitation
‘One to his left leg above the knee and one to his right arm below his elbow.’
Mr Franklin added: ‘I had to see the pain and anguish on the faces of my family when I was in hospital when no one knew whether I was going to live.
‘I know have to rely on other people to assist me.
‘I can not write anymore or hold a book or a magazine to ready.
‘I am a dog lover and I actually felt sad when I heard the dogs had been put down.
‘I do not believe that any dog that has been raised in a loving and caring environment would have done what they had done to me.’
There had been ‘reports’ made by members of the public about the ‘behaviour’ of the two Rottweilers.
The prosecutor said the ‘culmination’ of these was that they had been ‘left roaming free’, ‘they had been showing their teeth’, and they had ‘concerns about the welfare of them as they were living outside’.
It was heard that a dog charity and the district council tried to intervene – with the council making contact three times – but were unsuccessful.
The prosecutor said the couple had ‘failed in their obligation effectively to look after the welfare of these dogs’.
An expert found that the dogs did not have ‘enough to do’ to ensure they were not ‘bored’ and were not given toys to occupy them.
The owners also ‘failed to give them veterinary care’ and the dogs had shown ‘some aggression’ in the past
Jeffrey Lamb, mitigating, said Mr Roberts was away working in Leicester on the day of the attack whilst Ms Taylor, pictured, was in hospital
The owners also ‘failed to give them veterinary care’ and the dogs had shown ‘some aggression’ in the past.
‘The way that they were cared for by these two defendants did not assist in their nourishment or upbringing,’ the prosecutor said.
Jeffrey Lamb, mitigating, said Mr Roberts was away working in Leicester on the day of the attack whilst Ms Taylor was in hospital.
‘These two dogs, Daisy and Ziggy, were very well looked after – it’s disputed by both that there were issues pertaining to the dogs,’ he said.
It was heard that Mr Roberts had taken the dogs for a walk the day before he left for Leicester and had ‘played no part in looking after the dogs’.
They denied receiving any ‘official warnings’ from the council and maintained that the dogs were looked after.
They pleaded guilty to a charge of being the owner or person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury and will be sentenced on December 17.
Today’s sentencing hearing was adjourned so that the judge could gather more information relating to warnings from neighbours.
