An 11-year-old girl faced a horrific ordeal when she was savaged by a pack of eight dogs during a visit to a farm. The brutal attack took place at Coombeland Farm near Tiverton, Devon, and left both the girl and another woman injured. The dogs, identified as red Labradors, belonged to businessman John Hardy, described as a man of significant reputation. The incident resulted in the mum of the injured girl expressing dismay at Hardy’s nonchalant attitude towards the attack. The injured woman reported that Hardy offered her a mere £80 to replace her torn trousers.
Exeter Crown Court heard that three of the dogs involved in the attack were subsequently euthanised. Hardy, 75, was found guilty of two charges relating to owning dogs that were dangerously out of control. He was handed a suspended sentence and ordered to compensate each victim with £5,000. The first attack occurred as the woman was delivering hay in the farm’s main yard. The dogs pounced on her, causing severe injuries to her legs, bottom, and arms, leaving her fearing for her life.
In a subsequent attack a month later, a woman visiting the farm with her two daughters to see a horse Hardy was selling found herself and her child under attack by the same pack of dogs. The dogs pinned the girl down and inflicted multiple bites on her, prompting her to ask her mother if she was going to die. Following these distressing incidents, both victims suffered physical and emotional trauma, with the girl being diagnosed with PTSD and developing a fear of all dogs.
Hardy initially denied the charges but later changed his plea. He expressed shock and remorse over the events and has since decided to sell his equine business and vast estate. Judge David Evans labelled the first attack as prolonged and savage. Despite receiving a suspended sentence and being assigned 150 hours of unpaid work, Hardy was warned that the remaining dogs would be put down if he failed to prevent further incidents.
The distressing account of the dog attacks at Coombeland Farm serves as a stark reminder of the importance of responsible pet ownership and proper control of animals in public spaces. Such incidents can have lasting repercussions on the victims, both physically and mentally, highlighting the need for stringent measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.