Holiday park owner could have died when large dog sunk its teeth into her throat, court told

The Cane Corso Italian breed partially severed muscles in Catherine Skinn’s throat leav-ing her needing emergency treatment at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

The bite was 2cms away from severing her carotid artery, prosecutor Camille Morland said.

Melissa Clews, 33, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control at Faweather Grange Holiday Park, Sconce Lane, Eldwick, Bingley, on July 13, 2019.

Clews, of Hednesford Road, Norton Canes, Cannock, Staffordshire, was sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years. She must also obey a six-month electron-ically monitored curfew order.

Miss Morland said Clews and other family members were on holiday in a lodge at the holiday park when the dog savaged Mrs Skinn.

She approached Clews because there was an issue over parking, the court was told.

The dog, called Luna, was on a lead but Clews wasn’t holding on to it, Miss Morland said.

It came up to Mrs Skinn and put its paws on her chest and its mouth on her neck.

She pushed it away and backed off before realising she had been bitten on the neck.

Mrs Skinn’s husband Andrew took her straight to Airedale Hospital and she was trans-ferred by ambulance to Bradford Royal Infirmary.

The court heard she had sustained multiple puncture wounds and muscles in her neck had been partially severed.

She was examined under general anaesthetic and the wounds were cleaned and sutured.

Miss Morland said the deepest wound was 6mm deep.

In her victim personal statement, Mrs Skinn said she was scarred on her neck and her voice had not returned to normal four months later.

She used to make a fuss of dogs but was now very cautious around them.

Mrs Skinn said she had been told by many medical professionals that she was lucky to be alive.

Clews told the police she was on holiday with family and three dogs, two pugs and Luna.

She was “mortified and stressed” after the attack and left the holiday park out of re-spect to Mrs Skinn.

The court heard in mitigation that Luna was now always walked on a choke chain and in a muzzle. She had never attacked anyone before or since.

Clews was a woman of previous good character.

Judge Jonathan Rose said the attack would have been “utterly terrifying” and could have been fatal.

He was satisfied that Luna had given no indication before that she had any tendency to bite or cause alarm to others.

Mrs Skinn was in no way responsible for what happened to her. She had suffered dread-ful injuries

“There was nothing that she should have done or could have done any differently,” Judge Rose said.

The bite was 2cms away from severing her carotid artery.

But Clews had expressed her sorrow and remorse about what had happened and taken steps to make sure Luna was trained and now always under restraint.

Judge Rose did not call for the destruction of Luna but said she must always be on a lead and muzzled.

Clews was ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1,500 within six month