Babak Belurs: Rowley Regis dog attack: Woman, 85, killed by dogs that got through fence hole

Sabtu, 03 April 2021

Rowley Regis dog attack: Woman, 85, killed by dogs that got through fence hole - BBC News

An 85-year-old woman died when two large dogs got into her garden through a hole in a fence and attacked her, police said.

The woman suffered a "sustained" attack and was found with serious injuries in Rowley Regis near Dudley, West Midlands, on Friday.

Supt Phil Asquith said her death was "tragic and horrific".

A 43-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being the person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.

He has been bailed while inquiries continue and the dogs are being tested to establish their breed, West Midlands Police said.

Flowers have been placed on the victim's driveway in Boundary Avenue, with one displaying the message "RIP Nan".

Supt Asquith said neighbours and family who live nearby responded "very quickly" to the woman after the dogs escaped from a neighbouring property.

"The dogs will have unfortunately carried out a fairly sustained attack so there were multiple injuries, mainly caused as a result of the delay in getting into the garden," he said.

Police at the scene after the dog attack

Supt Asquith said officers were called to the scene at about 15:20 BST by neighbours who said the woman was "under attack from dogs from a neighbouring property".

"Our officers attended, by which point the dogs had returned through a hole in the fence to the adjacent property and then, unfortunately, despite the best efforts of medical professionals, that lady died at the scene," he said.

He said the dogs were tranquilised and transported to secure kennels where they were being tested to determine their breed.

Supt Asquith described the dogs as "large" but would not speculate on whether or not they were banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act, adding DNA samples had been taken from them.

"Fortunately, these types of incidents are rare," he said.

"This presented no wider threat to the public. It was a hole in adjacent premises so they weren't running in the streets."