Girl aged 10 ‘scarred for life in mauling by three rottweilers’

Sarah Kerr and Derek Adam went on trial yesterday accused of owning and being in charge of the dogs – named Rocky, Pretty Girl and Fat Boy – that attacked the girl in a Dundee street.

The city’s sheriff court heard that, less than a year before the alleged attack, two of the dogs had escaped from Adam’s garden and attacked a passer-by.

And a dog walker told the trial how the three dogs had pounced on his pet minutes before the girl was allegedly attacked.

A document of agreed evidence was read to the jury detailing the horrendous injuries suffered by the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

She had multiple bite wounds on her legs, arms and face – suffering a broken jaw, a gaping three-inch wound on her leg and skin hanging from her ear.

The court hear all of her injuries have resulted in permanent scarring and disfigurement.

The three dogs – Rocky was 18 weeks old and the others both two and a half years old – were handed over to police after the alleged attack and were destroyed the next day.

Sean Gaffney, 40, told how he had taken his German shepherd cross for a walk in Camperdown Park and was returning home when they came across two full-sized rottweilers and a puppy.

Mr Gaffney said: “The big one ran across and was jumping and trying to bite, and my dog ran behind me.

“I let go of him and he ran towards my house, but the gate was locked so he went into the neighbour’s garden.

“The three rottweilers chased him and caught up at the neighbour’s front door.

“They got hold of him and bit him – he had puncture wounds on his leg.

“My neighbour managed to get him in the house and I got a brush from the garden and chased them out the gate.

“I went to Miss Kerr’s house because I recognised the puppy as hers – she was shocked.

“She ran off down Ettrick Crescent in her pyjamas and housecoat.”

It is alleged the rottweilers attacked another dog, before repeatedly biting and mauling the girl to her severe injury, impairment and permanent disfigurement.

Kerr, 34, whose address was given as care of a Dundee solicitors’ office, denies being in charge of the three rottweilers whereby they were dangerously out of control in Linton Street, Dundee, on 29 August.

Adam, 39, of Lintrathen Street, Dundee, denies being the owner of the dogs at the time, as well as failing to comply with an order made at Dundee’s Justice of the Peace Court on 3 March last year to keep two of the dogs under proper control.

The trial continues.