Blackburn pensioner savagely attacked by out-of-control dog speaks out as owner pleads guilty to charge

Jacqueline McGrew, 76, went to see her neighbour in Devon Road at around 2pm on June 14, 2022.

Before entering their garden, she listened at the gate to see if any of their dogs were outside.

She was immediately attacked from behind by a large Staffordshire Bull Terrier after entering.

Jacqueline suffered serious bites to the face, head, arms, hand and back, with the dog only stopping when it was sprayed with a hosepipe.

She required surgery to her head, suffered a broken nose and the sight in her right eye was affected for a week.

She was discharged from hospital after 14 days.

In a statement, Jacqueline said: “I am absolutely terrified of any dog now.

“If I am on my mobility scooter and I see a dog, even across the road I freeze, I panic and I don’t know what to do. I’m terrified that the dog might do something.

“I was outside a shop waiting for a taxi the other day and there was another customer with a dog. They just walked past and the dog approached me and the lady said to the dog something like: ‘That lady has nothing in her trolley for you’.

“I didn’t even turn round, I froze, I was frightened, I didn't know what to do and the lady probably thought I was really ignorant and I'm not, I was just thinking please get your dog away.

“The dog probably wasn’t going to do anything but I was terrified.”

“I have always loved animals, and I am having to change how I live my daily life.

“When I’m at home if I hear a dog barking I get really anxious and I’m looking where my cats are and where the dog might be. I worry about my cats being out now.

“I have always been independent and I volunteer at a community scheme where I go every day to help the people on the estate where I live. I have done this for around 30 years.

“I am frightened of seeing a dog on the street and I freeze, terrified of what it might do to me.

“There are people who visit the community office with dogs and they will stand at the doorway and chat rather than bringing the dog into the office.

“I still go out and try and live my life normally as I will not let this beat me.

“I will not spend the final years of my life staying in and becoming a hermit because of what happened.”

Following an investigation, David Wilson, 57, of Devon Road, Blackburn, was charged with being the owner/person in charge of dog dangerously out of control causing injury.

He admitted the offence at Burnley Magistrates Court on Tuesday (March 29).

He will be sentenced Blackburn Magistrates Court on May 3.

The dog has since been destroyed.

DC Vicky Heys, of Blackburn CID, said: “This was a shocking attack which resulted in Jacqueline receiving a number of nasty injuries.

“These are some of the worst injuries I have seen in my time as a police officer, certainly from a dog attack.

“The impact of this attack on Jacqueline continues to remain with her and probably will for the remainder of her life.

“One witness described Jacqueline’s screams as being harrowing, so this is something that has clearly impacted on the community as well.

“I welcome the guilty plea and the fact that somebody has taken responsibility for this crime.”