Molly-Mae Wotherspoon Dog Death: Mother And Grandmother Jailed

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-37371852

I never thought I would see this kind of sentence. Its far too lenient as far as I am concerned, but at least its a move in the right direction.

Not sure why it has taken two years to get to this verdict however, despite Riley's illness.

[mikey4444]

It seems that in this case, it wasn't the absence of gates or cages, it was because she had a banned dog in the first place.

[Boto]

I also heard that the cage was too small for the dog.

[hc4361]

My friend rescued a lovely natured dog but she wouldn't settle at night. She cried all the time and the rescue centre lent her a crate. That solved the problem! Obviously the dog was used to her own space in a crate and sleeps very happily in it, although the door is never shut. She takes her favourite toy to bed with her and carries it out in the morning. :)

[jno]

it doesn't seem from the report that anyone was actually charged with owning a banned dog, just a dangerous one.

[hc4361]

The boyfriend owned the dog, he was in prison at the time.

[jno]

ah, I see, thanks hc4361.

[anneasquith]

I have a dog who is the friendliest big lump, but I would never leave him unattended with a baby/young child. Why,? He's an animal .!

[andy-hughes]

Reports confirm that the dog was owned by the mother's boyfriend who is currently in prison. The dog was kept in a cage that was too small for it, and not exercised. It appears that the child's cries acted as a trigger to the dog who attacked the child, with fatal results.

Although this is a deplorable situation, we must be wary of 'revenge' sentencing, which is not how the law works.

There is no doubt that this was a lethal combination of circumstances - an inadequate mother and grandmother left saddled with a brutal dog in which they had no interest, and the lack of intelligence in realising that a dangerous dog and a small child is not a good combination.

But, dispassionately, it has to be seen in the context that no malice was intended, and these women must live with the guilt of this baby's death for the rest of their lives.

So I believe the law has acted appropriately, even though I entirely side with the outrage of people who believe that something more should have been done, but that is in order to assuage our grief and anger, and that is not how the law is applied.

[mikey4444]

HC....."The boyfriend owned the dog, he was in prison at the time"

Says it all really, doesn't it !