A pack of red Labradors savaged an 11-year-old girl and a woman during two ferocious attacks at stables in Devon. The out-of-control animals tore and bit the terrified visitors to Coombeland Farm near Tiverton, a court heard.
They were owned by businessman John Hardy, described as a “successful man of considerable reputation”. The mum of the injured girl said Hardy was “blase” about the attack on her daughter while the injured woman said he offered her £80 to replace her shredded trousers.
Three of Hardy’s dogs have since been destroyed and the 75-year-old has now been convicted of two offences of being the owner of eight red Labradors that were dangerously out of control and injured two females. He was given a suspended sentence and ordered to pay each victim £5,000 in compensation.
The first incident happened on January 3 of last year. The adult victim was visiting the farm to deliver hay. She was undoing straps from the trailer in the main yard when the pack attacked her, biting her legs, bottom and arms. Some were hanging off her and others barking.
“They were ripping at her rather than biting and letting go,” said prosecutor Lewis Aldous. The woman’s partner managed to drag her away to safety. He later said he thought she was going to be killed in the attack. Hardy also tried to help.
A farmhand took her to a barn for safety. She remembered her trousers being by her ankles and “blood everywhere”. Hardy told the woman he was very sorry and offered her the £80 for new trousers. He later phoned and offered compensation, which was declined.
The woman suffered 11 wounds to her body, spent at total of five days in hospital and needed two rounds of surgery. She is scarred to this day and has numbness in her leg. She told the court in a statement she still suffers flashbacks and nightmares about being attacked by dogs and is now petrified of them.
The second incident happened just over a month later. A woman and her two daughters visited the farm to see a horse Hardy was selling.
She was speaking to Hardy in the yard when the pack of dogs ran through the archway and straight at one of the girls “like a pack of wild animals”. They knocked her over and pinned her down. Two or three of the dogs repeatedly bit her before the mum, sister and farmhand dragged her away.
During the attack the girl asked in terror “Mummy, am I going to die?” Hardy was described by the mum as “very calm” and “somewhat blase”. She didn’t hear from him again.
The girl suffered 36 entry wounds to her body and bruising and needed a tetanus shot. Seven of her scars will remain for life. She has been diagnosed with PTSD and said she is now “really scared of all dogs”.
Her mum read a statement in court in which she described the devastating impact of the attack on her previously happy and smiling little girl. The child had also been terrified of attending court.
Hardy initially pleaded not guilty and the case listed for trial. But he later admitted the charges and sentenced at Exeter Crown Court.
Three of his dogs, Percy, Billy and Oscar have since been put to sleep. The remaining five dogs returned to him with strict control orders in place.
Hardy is currently in the process of selling his equine business and the large estate. He said he was “shocked and appalled” by what happened and deeply sorry.
Judge David Evans said the first attack was prolonged and savage. He said Hardy should have acted after the first incident but seemed “peculiarly unperturbed” by the attack on the girl.
Hardy must do 150 hours of unpaid work as part of a 15-month suspended sentence. The judge also made a contingent destruction order on the remaining dogs should he not keep them under proper control in future.