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Beddington, Belmont, Carshalton, Cheam, Clockhouse, Nonsuch, St Helier, Stonecot, Sutton, The Wrythe, Wallington and Worcester Park. |
Council calls for stricter controls for ‘status dogs’ following fatal attack
January 4, 2012 11:44 AM
Calls are being made for stricter controls of 'status dogs' after a man whose dog killed a woman walked free from court.
Former British Army paratrooper Alex Blackburn-Smith's Neapolitan Mastiff, called Debo, mauled Barbara Williams to death in Wallington, in Sutton, on 23 December 2010. She was lodging at Blackburn-Smith's home in Demesne Road, at the time of the attack.
Croydon Magistrates' Court heard that the eight stone dog was kept in a cramped cage that was more than six inches shorter than the animal. Police marksmen who attended the scene had to fight it off with riot shields before shooting it.
Blackburn-Smith pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the dog's welfare. He was sentenced on 3 January, when he avoided jail and was instead given a community sentence of 150 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay costs of £3,340. No-one has been charged in relation to the death.
Cllr Colin Hall, Sutton Council's Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: "Our whole community was shocked and deeply saddened by this appalling incident. It highlights the need for an overhaul of the way we deal with status or weapon dogs.
"It's been one year since Ms Williams' tragic death but very little progress has been made. It's important her death was not in vain, and I am calling on the government to support the Dog Control Bill and give councils and the police more powers.
"At the moment councils can only act if a dog is one of the four banned breeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act. With all other breeds we are powerless unless the dog has attacked or appears threatening; in the case of status dogs, this can often be too late.
"Local authorities and the police need the power to intervene when concerns are raised, no matter what breed the dog is, and before it attacks.
"We also want to see the owners of these dogs held responsible, and would expect revised laws to include tougher punishments for those who allow, or even encourage, their dogs to attack or intimidate people."
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