FOUR-YEAR-OLD ROBERT WEATHERLY NEEDED 21 STITCHES

FOUR-YEAR-OLD ROBERT WEATHERLY NEEDED 21 STITCHES IN HIS FACE

AFTER BEING SAVAGED BY A HOLIDAY COUPLE’S PEDIGREE BOXER DOG, THE

HIGH COURT IN LONDON WAS TOLD TODAY.

(MON)
ROBERT, NOW AGED 7, OF MEADS, STREAM LAME, HAWKHURST, KENT, HAS

PERMANENT LIVID PINK SCARS ON HIS NOSE AND CHEEK AFTER THE DOG SANK

ITS TEETH INTO HIS FACE AND LIFTED HIM BODILY OFF THE GROUND, THE
COURT HEARD.

THE DOG WAS OWNED BY A LONDON COUPLE WHO WERE STAYING AT A

HOLIDAY COTTAGE, CRANFORD FARM COTTAGES, ALSO IN STREAM LANE, WHICH

HAD BEEN LET TO THEM BY ROBERT’S PARENTS, KENNETH AND ELIZABETH.

ROBERT IS SUING ROGER AND SHARON BOWEN OF ASHBRIDGE STREET,
MARYLEBONE, FOR DAMAGES FOLLOWING THE ATTACK BY THEIR BRINDLE BOXER,
ETHELRED THE UNREADY – NICKNAMED ‘BEN’ – ON AUGUST 25, 1985.

THE COURT HEARD MRS BOWEN SHOUTED A WARNING ABOUT THE DOG AS

ROBERT AND HIS MOTHER APPROACHED THE OPEN BACK DOOR OF THE COTTAGE –
BUT IT CAME TOO LATE TO PREVENT THE ATTACK.

MRS GILLIAN KEENE, COUNSEL FOR ROBERT, TOLD THE COURT: ‘THERE IS

EVIDENCE THAT BOTH THE DEFENDANTS KNEW OF THE DOG’S TENDENCY TO

ATTACK CHILDREN.

THEY WERE FORTUNATE THAT THE INJURIES WERE DEALT

WITH BY EXPERTS AT SUCH AN EARLY STAGE, BUT THERE IS STILL

CONSIDERABLE SCARRING TO THE NOSE.

‘
BEN WAS ORDERED TO BE DESTROYED BY CRANBROOK MAGISTRATES AT A

HEARING IN JANUARY 1986, BUT THE COUPLE APPEALED TO THE CROWN COURT.

THERE THE ORDER WAS OVERTURNED AND REPLACED BY AN ORDER TO KEEP THE

DOG UNDER CONTROL.

THE BOWENS DENY NEGLIGENCE IN FAILING TO KEEP THE DOG UNDER

CONTROL.

THE HEARING CONTINUES.

ENDS