July 26th 2024.
Amanda Wilkie had a rough day that ended up in court. She was out walking her ex-boyfriend's two dogs, Mavis and Missy, after attending a funeral and having a few drinks. Unfortunately, the dogs got loose and began attacking other dogs and their owners. Despite the chaos and injuries caused by her dogs, Amanda left the scene and continued drinking at home.
The incident took place in Willow Park in Newton-le-Willows on August 17 last year. The court heard that the XL bullies broke free from their leads and attacked multiple people and their pets. One woman, Christine Potts, was bitten on the face while trying to protect her West Highland terrier. Another woman, Tracey Hayhurst, also sustained injuries while trying to protect her dog.
Amanda, who appeared to be drunk and slurring her words, tried to intervene and move the dogs away while claiming they were not hers. However, she left the scene without the dogs and went home to have more drinks. She later told the police that the dogs got loose and she went back home to get stronger collars and leads, but ended up drinking and forgetting about the dogs.
Meanwhile, the victims were left to fend for themselves as the XL bullies continued to attack other dogs and their owners. One woman, Jacqueline Mahoney, heard someone screaming for help and entered the park with her own dog. She ended up getting attacked by Amanda's dogs and suffered from bruises, scratches, and puncture wounds.
When the police arrived, they found Amanda had already left, leaving her dogs behind. She was later interviewed and admitted to having the dogs under her possession, but claimed they belonged to her ex-boyfriend, Mark Coxhill. The court also heard that Amanda has a previous conviction for inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr. Coxhill in 2023.
During the hearing, Ms. Potts shared a statement where she expressed how the incident has affected her mental well-being. She used to enjoy taking her dogs for walks, but now she is terrified of big dogs and has trouble going to the park. The court also learned that Amanda owns three other dogs.
Amanda's lawyer, Louise Santamera, argued that her client had an alcohol problem and was in a toxic and abusive relationship with Mr. Coxhill. She also mentioned that Amanda has been sober for eight months and has made great progress in dealing with her issues. She pleaded for mercy and stated that the incident in the park was a one-time mistake.
The judge, Brian Cummings KC, acknowledged that Amanda's actions were irresponsible and had caused harm to two human victims and their dogs. However, he also considered her progress in dealing with her alcohol problem and decided to sentence her to a 10-month imprisonment, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to perform 200 hours of unpaid work and pay compensation to the victims.
The court will also decide on whether Amanda will be banned from keeping animals and if her two XL bullies will be destroyed. The judge gave Mr. Coxhill a chance to make representations before the decision is made. Overall, the judge believed that Amanda's progress and efforts to change her ways weighed in her favor and spared her from immediate imprisonment.
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