‘I visited friend with my little girl – the horror changed her life forever’
A four-year-old girl was left traumatised with serious facial injuries after being attacked by an American bulldog at a friend’s home
Luna-Ann was attacked by an American bulldog
A young girl’s life was “changed forever” after a “terrifying” dog attack left her with shocking injuries.
Luna-Ann Forsyth, 4, was left drenched in blood after being bitten in the face and dragged to the floor by the American bulldog, a court was told. The dog’s owner, Emma Callaghan, was sentenced after being convicted of being the owner in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury following a trial. Warwick Crown Court was told that Miss Callaghan’s dog, Junior, had escaped from a room where he’d been secured and “jumped” on the little girl.
The child had been visiting the property with her mum, Amy, and her younger brother following a shopping trip to the town centre.
Luna-Ann Forsyth was left with facial injuries after the attack(Image: Rowan Griffiths / Daily Mirror)
Judge Matthew Walsh KC told her: “On August 6, 2023 your dog Junior changed a four-year-old girl’s life. Junior launched an unprovoked, sudden, terrifying and vicious attack on Luna-Ann and he effectively mauled her. He jumped up and he grabbed her face with his mouth and she screamed and he pulled her to the ground and stood over her and she was screaming again. Miss Hobson (her mother) starting kicking the dog to get it off her.
“She was screaming for Emma to come and get it off. She kicked him again and he let go, In other words released his jaws. Emma got him out of the room”, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The judge added: “Luna-Ann’s face was covered in blood with a big gash on her cheek and Miss Hobson said that she could see into her mouth and there were puncture wounds and she was given bed sheets to try to stem the blood.”
The child with her mum Amy(Image: Amy Hobson)
The youngster was rushed to hospital following the attack in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. The judge described the injuries she sustained as “horrific” and revealed that since the incident, the now seven year old, has undergone two operations on her cheek, with another procedure still to come. He said: “It has changed Luna-Ann, she has been traumatised, she struggles to sleep.
“She felt unsafe living where she was at the time and had to cross the road to avoid being near the location, it petrified her. They have had to move away from Nuneaton. Luna-Ann is still scared of dogs and she is worried about the differences that will be perceived in her appearance by other children as she starts her way through primary school. Screaming ‘get him off me’. She has been left traumatised.”
The little girl’s mother, Amy Hobson, delivered a heartbreaking statement in court which described the horror scene she witnessed after arriving at her former friend’s property. She said: “Things took a sickening, life-changing turn, this was the moment that changed Luna’s life forever.”
A dog named Junior attacked the girl(Image: (Image: Amy Hobson))
The mum added: “This vicious and brutal dog attack has left my daughter traumatised. She no longer sleeps at night and continues to struggle with sleep due to nightmares and waking up screaming ‘Get him off me’, ‘stop’ and just that heart-wrenching scream when it first happened. Luna used to be a very confident little girl, some would say more confident of most her age. Now she is a shadow of who she used to be.”
She also revealed her concerns about Luna-Ann starting school, saying: “She is adamant that she will be bullied for the way her face looks now even though she is, and I always tell her, how beautiful she is. When Luna started school and still now, she has children looking at her and asking her questions about her face. Which upsets her a lot as it is a constant reminder about what happened on that dreadful day.”
Miss Hobson, who has supported national campaigns against dangerous dogs, said the entire family will “never forget” what happened to their little girl and she herself has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She added that the family were grappling with additional strain from continuous hospital visits, both in terms of travelling and financial burden. The mum claimed the family haven’t received so much as an apology following the attack.
The court heard Miss Callaghan suffers from mental health conditions, including bi-polar disorder, and the Judge clarified he was obliged to weigh up guidelines relating to this. The judge said: “The report hints at remorse but there is a degree of victim blaming but I am not minded to reflect, as a mitigating feature, any genuine remorse on your part. There have been no previous complaints or incidents involving Junior.”
Miss Callaghan had already served 13 days behind bars before sentencing, after missing a previous court appearance following an alleged attack. Judge Walsh handed Callaghan a three-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, on Thursday afternoon. She must also complete 25 days of rehabilitation and undertake 250 hours of unpaid community service.
A further court hearing is scheduled for next week to consider applications for a destruction order concerning the dog, Junior, and whether Miss Callaghan should be permitted to keep dogs in future.
