The owner of an American Pit Bull type dog has been jailed for six months after a child was badly bitten.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the injuries to the four year old’s face were serious and he is still having nightmares months later.
“He is waking, screaming and is awake for hours after,” said prosecutor Gareth James.
His mother, who witnessed the attack, is said to suffer flashbacks and has had counselling.
Judge Michael Burr refused a request to suspend 43-year-old Mark Evans’ sentence, ordering it be served immediately.
“What persuaded you to think it was appropriate for a dog like that to be kept in a flat, in close proximity to other people, I don’t understand - it was a foolish decision,” he told him.
The court heard police had spoken to Evans about the animal - named Rocky - following a previous incident with a three-year-old girl in a park.
But on that occasion - when the dog had jumped up and scratched her neck - officers visited Evans’ home and reported Rocky “seemed friendly” and no action was taken.
The mother of the little boy later bitten on his cheek, knew about that incident and had also seen Rocky bite the arm of a friend of Evans, Mr James said.
The mother and her son lived opposite Evans in flats in the Adamsdown area of the city.
Mr James told the court: “When Rocky was a puppy he was friendly and there’s an obvious attraction between a young child and a puppy.
“But the mother saw the defendant hitting the dog and shouting and it changed. He would put a harness on it but no lead.
“On April 22 she and her son were going out and as she turned to close her front door, she heard the child say “Rocky’s naughty” and then scream.
“She saw the dog on top of her son and people were trying to get it off.
“Mark Evans came out, hit Rocky, got him off and kicked him into the flat.
“The child had to be treated under general anaesthetic for a 7cm gaping wound to his face and is scarred.”
Evans, who has a record of 189 previous offences, mostly said to be for acts of dishonesty, originally claimed the child had only suffered “a scratch”.
But later, when told by the police about the extent of the injury, he apologised and immediately agreed to Rocky being humanely destroyed.
He pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog which was dangerously out of control and caused injury.
Defence barrister Jeremy Jenkins said the defendant “bitterly regretted” what happened and accepted full responsibility.
He said Evans is waiting for an “immediate” operation on one of his ankles because a pin inserted following a fracture has snapped.
But locking him up, Judge Burr said he had taken that into account when making his decision about the appropriate sentence.
“Not attaching a lead and giving the dog freedom in flats, close to young children, is a serious act of neglect,” he said.
Evans left the dock and set off for the cells with the aid of a walking frame.
The court was told that Evans had since “informally exchanged council flats” with someone he knows and he now lives in Daviot Street, Roath.
A restraining order was put in place to keep him away for the area of the flats.
He was banned from keeping dogs indefinitely.
SEE-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/four-year-old-boy-suffers-11533106
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