A lady whose huge Doberman dog attacked a 3-year-old girl, leaving her traumatized, was sentenced to 10 months in prison today.
Lisa Garner, 45, owned the ‘very powerful’ dog named El Chapo and was speaking with the child’s grandmother in Havant, Hampshire, when the Doberman attacked her.
The Doberman, a former guard dog, attacked the child by grabbing her midsection and throwing her to the ground, leaving her with life-altering injuries.
Today at Portsmouth Crown Court, Garner was sentenced to 10 months in prison and forbidden from possessing dogs for 10 years after it was determined that the victim was traumatized and now “screams in her sleep.”
Lisa Garner (right) is photographed wearing a blue coat, blue trousers, and white knee-high boots outside of court.
The event occurred on August 8 at Botley Drive, Havant, Hampshire.
After the attack, the child was transported to the neighboring Queen Alexandra hospital in Portsmouth for treatment.
Garner pled guilty to being the owner of a dangerously out-of-control dog that caused injuries.
Martyn Booth, the prosecutor, told the court that the girl’s grandmother, who knew Garner, had spoken to her about a complaint in a local Facebook group about El Chapo. The defendant wept in court as Booth described the conversation.
Mr. Booth, referring to the Facebook post, stated, “There were comments to the effect that the dog was attacking other dogs and cats.”
‘Ironically, [the girl’s] grandmother stated to the defendant that she had no personal knowledge of the incident.
“I say ironically because the grandmother of [the girl] got a very clear, up up and personal experience of what the dog was capable of after having no prior awareness of the dog’s behavior.”
The court heard that Garner was holding the dog on a “loose leash” and that the three-year-old walked in front of the adults.
Mr. Booth stated that she did not make any sudden movements, nor does she do anything that may be construed as suggestive toward the dog; yet, the dog headed straight for her.
Friday brings Lisa Garner (left) to the Portsmouth Crown Court for sentencing.
Today, Lisa Garner appeared at the Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court (pictured) in relation to the assault.
The dog seized her about the midsection and flung her to the ground.
“The dog was incredibly strong in comparison to the defendant; it was incredibly strong in comparison to a three-year-old child.
It was reported as throwing her to the ground before latching onto her around the abdomen and refusing to let go.
The court heard that onlookers who witnessed the incident attempted to assist the family by punching, pinching, and kicking the animal until it eventually let go.
The attack was described as a “very traumatic, no doubt horrifying and painful event for [the girl], as well as a horrific experience for those who witnessed the occurrence and were courageous enough to assist.”
The Doberman has since been destroyed by cops.
The court heard that doctors treated the girl’s superficial and “deeper” (1 cm, 2 cm, 4 cm, and 6 cm) wounds.
The girl’s mother released a statement regarding the aftermath’s effect on her daughter, who screams in her sleep, stating, “The aftermath has harmed her both mentally and physically.”
She currently screams in her sleep and awakens screaming.
“She cannot walk down the street, nor will she walk next to or past a dog.” She previously had no fear of dogs.
It is distressing for her family to watch her in this state.
According to testimony in court, the scars on her daughter’s back and leg serves as a “daily reminder” of the incident.
Her mother stated, “I don’t know if my daughter will ever overcome this anxiety or the trauma she endured that day.”
Damian Hayes, defending Garner, stated that he had “rescued” a number of Dobermans over the preceding two decades.
He stated, “This was obviously a tragic incident, and the video evidence is horrifying.”
Ms. Garner, for her part, feels nothing but guilt and regret for what transpired that afternoon.
“Ms. Garner accepts responsibility honestly and firmly on her shoulders.”
Judge William Ashworth stated to Garner, “It was never your purpose to damage this very young girl.”
I am concerned about your attitude in light of the incident in which you stated, “Although the dog appears to be malevolent, it’s only a huge doughnut” – this reveals your mindset.
It was a very powerful, very huge dog that should have been muzzled, harnessed, and on a suitable leash at the very least.
This dog posed a danger that any reasonable owner would have recognized.
It was a pretty serious occurrence, and the dog posed a significant threat.
Lisa Garner, 45 (seen yesterday in Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court), has been prohibited from possessing pets for ten years.
A little child sustained a severe injury as a direct result of your lack of accountability, which was manifest.
The judge also commended the activities of the members of the public who helped intervene.
He added, “They displayed remarkable bravery in the face of what must have been a terrible dog.”
It is a reminder that members of the public can act with great courage and charity in a difficult and challenging world, and our court praises them for that.
Today in court, the girl’s mother stated that her daughter was on the verge of death.
She stated that her daughter could have lost her life.
The dog was within an inch of her artery, which would have meant she would have died instantly.
The girl’s relatives, who attended court proceedings, stated that the attention she received from doctors motivated her to become a physician.
“She now desires to become a doctor,” her grandmother remarked.
She wore my ID badge the other day and told me, “Look, nanny, I’m a doctor!”
“She is an extraordinary girl, one in a million.”
El Chapo’s drug gang was the richest and most powerful in Mexico at the time of his arrest in 1993, exporting tonnes of cocaine into the United States.
For his actions, the now 65-year-old, renowned as one of the world’s most prominent drug dealers, was sentenced to life in jail.
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