A toddler needed 13 stitches in his face after being mauled by a Doberman in Dundee.
The two-year-old child’s mum told a court there was “blood everywhere” after the horrific attack at an address in the Fintry area in February 2023.
Teenager Lennon McKay is now awaiting sentence after he was convicted of being in charge of the dog, named Kera, while it was dangerously out of control.
McKay, who admitted owning Kera, tried to incriminate another man, claiming he had brought the dog to the address.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard claims McKay was not there during the incident but a sheriff showed no hesitation in finding the 18-year-old guilty.
The child suffered five different wounds to his face in the attack, including a wound to his left eye which was described as “gaping”.
“I consider this to be quite a serious matter,” Sheriff Paul Brown told McKay.
“You have taken a dog into the company of a small, defenceless child and the injuries are very serious indeed and could have been a lot more serious.
“I am going to look into your background and I’ll be looking at all options.”
Savage dog attack in Dundee
The boy’s mother told the court McKay brought the dog to her home on February 25 2023.
She said in evidence: “I was in the kitchen, my son was in the living room, the dog was going up and down the hallway.
“When I heard him scream, I ran through and saw it was on top of him in the living room.
“I grabbed him and there was just blood everywhere.
“Lennon pulled the dog away and just left. I was screaming for help outside.”
Solicitor advocate Jim Laverty questioned why she gave a differing account to the police and staff at Ninewells Hospital.
The woman alleged she was threatened by McKay about telling the authorities.
McKay was acquitted by the Crown of a separate charge of threatening the woman.
Although she admitted lying to the authorities, the woman denied it was in order to protect the man McKay tried to incriminate.
Dog’s history outlined
The court was told by the dog’s former owner Kera was “very strong”, described as “mature” and was known to kill deer, rabbits and cats.
The dog was described as requiring a muzzle and a lead around new people due to being used as a guard dog.
Kera has since died after spending a period of time in kennels.
When giving evidence, McKay claimed he was never at the address and he had given the dog to the man he tried to incriminate because he could not cope with it.
McKay, of Liff Terrace, later returned the dog to its original owner but did not inform him of the child being attacked.
Sheriff Brown convicted McKay of the single charge of being in charge of a dog that was dangerously out of control, whereby it bit a two-year-old boy to his injury.
The child was treated with antibiotics after having 13 stitches inserted at Ninewells.
Sentence was deferred until August for a social work report to be obtained.
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