Wallsend dog attack: Bull Mastiff owners sentenced after 4 dogs maul couple

The owners of Bull Mastiffs who left a man "permanently disfigured" during a savage attack on a married couple have been sentenced.

Daniel Hutchinson, 33, and Michelle King, 44, appeared in court after their four American King Bull Mastiffs ran off and pounced on the married couple. Dog breeder, Hutchinson, had organised a barbecueat his home in North Tyneside, and had left the dogs unsupervised.

The victims were walking past his house when the dogs spotted and ran towards them. They ripped the man's lower ear off and left him with puncture wounds to his body. His wife sustained scratches, and said she was "distraught" following the attack on December 27, 2021.

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On Thursday, the owners appeared at Newcastle Crown Court via video links to be sentenced for offences of being an owner/person in charge of a dangerously out of control dog. Both defendants had pleaded guilty. The court heard how Hutchinson sold the dogs to King, reports Chronicle Live.

Prosecutor, Rachel Kelly, said: "The four dogs were playing unsupervised [at the barbecue]. At around 8.30pm, [the victims] were walking home near Hutchinson's house. The four dogs then ran towards the couple and attacked them.

"Both were taken to the ground. [The man] was bitten a number of times, causing the loss of his lower ear. He sustained puncture wounds and injuries to his hands and fingers. [The woman] sustained scratches." Hutchinson - who said he'd been away buying cannabis at the time - and King, then ran to the dogs and rounded them up before returning to the house.

An ambulance was then called. The court heard King, of Cameron Park, Thornton, Scotland, had a previous conviction for wasting police time, but was of good character.

Hutchinson, of Seaton Terrace, Fife, Scotland, had 24 previous convictions for 44 offences, including criminal damage. The court was told that King was "remorseful" and said the attack was a "tragic accident". Mark Harrison, defending, asked the judge to suspend her prison sentence and explained that professionals had previously been around her two dogs and "felt safe".

The court heard King has a history of poor mental health and is at a "low risk of repetition". Suzanne Proctor, defending Hutchinson, said he had spent a long time on remand and that he had pleaded guilty on the day of trial.

Recorder Nathan Moxon said the incident must have been "a truly terrifying experience" for the victims. King was sentenced to 10 months prison, suspended for 18 months. Hutchinson was given 18 months prison, but due to time spent on remand, he will likely be released immediately.

Recorder Moxon added that the attack was an "isolated, one-off incident" and did not ban the defendants from keeping animals. No destruction orders were made and the two no longer own the Bull Mastiffs.