'Terrifying' incident saw Little Stanion woman's dog bite four-year-old child

A woman whose dog bit a four-year-old child in the face has been handed a suspended sentence.

Cheryl Ladner, 40, has been told to pay more than £3,000 in compensation and costs after the terrifying incident which took place in Little Stanion in August last year.

She has been allowed to keep her dog, a black and white collie named Leo, but under strict conditions which, if broken, will mean the dog will be subject to a destruction order.

Ladner, of Preseli Walk in Little Stanion, originally denied her dog had injured the child but an expert witness deemed the injuries to be consistent with dog bites.

The child required 14 stitches after the attack.

Ladner later admitted being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury at Northampton Magistrates' Court.

She was jailed for 16 weeks, suspended for a year.

Detective Constable Sharon Jephcott, who led the investigation said: “This was a terrifying incident for the child and the wider family. Being bitten by a dog is an incredibly traumatic experience, especially for a child.

“This case serves as a stark warning – we will take action to ensure justice is served for the victim and that measures are put in place to ensure there are no repeat incidents and no others are subjected to such a terrifying ordeal.

"It also shows how important it is to keep dogs under control and how seriously the courts treat incidents of this nature."

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