Pet owner pleads guilty after fatal dog attack on elderly woman

A pet owner has pleaded guilty in court to being in charge of two American bulldogs which killed a pensioner at her home in Rowley Regis in April 2021.

Darren Pritchard admitted an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act at Wolverhampton Crown Court, possessing cannabis with intent to supply and producing the drug at an address in the street where Lucille Downer, 85, suffered a neck wound and was pronounced dead.

Although a family member and neighbours rushed to her aid, she was confirmed dead at the scene shortly after the attack.

The 44-year-old, of Merrivale Road, Smethwick, was granted conditional bail by Judge Michael Chambers KC until a sentencing hearing on May 15.

The judge told Pritchard: “You have had the courage to plead guilty to these matters and you will get appropriate credit (for pleading guilty) in due course.

“But they are clearly serious matters which cross the custodial threshold so you should be under no illusion as to the likely sentence.”

The facts of the case were not opened by prosecutor Howard Searle during the hearing, which was told Pritchard had been “out of trouble since 2013” at the time of Mrs Downer’s death. 

The ownership of two dogs was voluntarily transferred to police at the time of the incident.

Police have said the dogs were humanely destroyed after the incident.

An inquest held previously was told Mrs Downer, a retired cook, was found in her back garden and was confirmed deceased at the scene.

A forensic post-mortem examination was carried out and the medical cause of death was found to be a neck injury caused by a dog bite.