Teenager jailed after postman is savaged

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/new ... 4009549.jp

A TEENAGER whose dogs savaged a postman on his rounds in Sheffield, tearing "lumps of flesh" from his legs, has been jailed for nine months.
Jamal Richards, aged 19, was locked up after his two bulldog terriers dragged postie Paul Coleman to the ground and subjected him to a bloody 15-minute mauling.

Sheffield Crown Court heard Richards had already been warned about his dangerous dogs – yet on the day of the attack they were not chained up and managed to escape. One is still on the loose to this day.

Mr Coleman, 40, spent six days in hospital and had two operations, skin grafts and plastic surgery.

The court heard he still suffers psychological problems after the incident last December, is still off work, and has reduced mobility and permanent scarring.

The father of two told The Star his children were "used to seeing a big strong dad, not someone who can't walk across the living room".

Sentencing Richards, Judge Alan Goldsack QC told him: "The photos show quite dreadful injuries. Lumps of flesh were literally torn from his body and he was in a state of trauma – as, no doubt, were witnesses and his wife and children."

He added: "Anyone knows these kinds of dogs can cause very serious injuries if they are not properly controlled.

"You'd had a warning from the Post Office a few weeks before, but neither dog was chained or controlled and they escaped and jointly launched a vicious attack."

Richards was jailed for nine months after pleading guilty to two charges of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place. He was also banned from keeping dogs for seven years.

The teenager lived with his girlfriend and young child in a small terraced house on Birdwell Road, Grimesthorpe.

The dogs were kept in a shed in the backyard which neighbours and the postman had to cross. The dogs were not permanently chained and they frequently escaped.

On December 18 Mr Coleman was delivering mail on nearby Rothay Road when both animals came after him "barking, growling and lunging", the court heard.

He tried to escape but they grabbed a leg each and pulled him to the ground.

Fiona Swain, prosecuting, said a neighbour broke the shaft of a garden rake hitting one of the dogs. The dog was also struck with a hammer and covered in hot porridge, but it refused to let go.

A workman repeatedly hit the other dog with a metal bar. The dogs finally broke off at the sound of approaching sirens. One was captured and put down, but the other has not been found.

Speaking after the case Mr Coleman, of Richmond Avenue, Richmond, said he still suffers flashbacks and has a heightened fear of dogs.

He said he hoped to return to work in six weeks.

"Hopefully this will show people can't leave dogs out to cause damage, because they risk jail if they do," he said.

Mr Coleman has launched a legal claim for compensation.

[coaster]

Get well soon Paul, my thoughts are with you, your wife and children.

What a horrible experience. Still, bravo to the people that tried to help.

[boardie]

Absoluetely Coaster - I'm certain that we are all with you on that one. I must admit that this case makes me wish that throwing to the lions was a punishment available to magistrates.

[brothermagrew]

http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/new ... 4009549.jp

A TEENAGER whose dogs savaged a postman on his rounds in Sheffield, tearing "lumps of flesh" from his legs, has been jailed for nine months.
Jamal Richards, aged 19, was locked up after his two bulldog terriers dragged postie Paul Coleman to the ground and subjected him to a bloody 15-minute mauling.

Sheffield Crown Court heard Richards had already been warned about his dangerous dogs – yet on the day of the attack they were not chained up and managed to escape. One is still on the loose to this day.

Mr Coleman, 40, spent six days in hospital and had two operations, skin grafts and plastic surgery.

The court heard he still suffers psychological problems after the incident last December, is still off work, and has reduced mobility and permanent scarring.

The father of two told The Star his children were "used to seeing a big strong dad, not someone who can't walk across the living room".

Sentencing Richards, Judge Alan Goldsack QC told him: "The photos show quite dreadful injuries. Lumps of flesh were literally torn from his body and he was in a state of trauma – as, no doubt, were witnesses and his wife and children."

He added: "Anyone knows these kinds of dogs can cause very serious injuries if they are not properly controlled.

"You'd had a warning from the Post Office a few weeks before, but neither dog was chained or controlled and they escaped and jointly launched a vicious attack."

Richards was jailed for nine months after pleading guilty to two charges of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place. He was also banned from keeping dogs for seven years.

The teenager lived with his girlfriend and young child in a small terraced house on Birdwell Road, Grimesthorpe.

The dogs were kept in a shed in the backyard which neighbours and the postman had to cross. The dogs were not permanently chained and they frequently escaped.

On December 18 Mr Coleman was delivering mail on nearby Rothay Road when both animals came after him "barking, growling and lunging", the court heard.

He tried to escape but they grabbed a leg each and pulled him to the ground.

Fiona Swain, prosecuting, said a neighbour broke the shaft of a garden rake hitting one of the dogs. The dog was also struck with a hammer and covered in hot porridge, but it refused to let go.

A workman repeatedly hit the other dog with a metal bar. The dogs finally broke off at the sound of approaching sirens. One was captured and put down, but the other has not been found.

Speaking after the case Mr Coleman, of Richmond Avenue, Richmond, said he still suffers flashbacks and has a heightened fear of dogs.

He said he hoped to return to work in six weeks.

"Hopefully this will show people can't leave dogs out to cause damage, because they risk jail if they do," he said.

Mr Coleman has launched a legal claim for compensation.

IMHO 9 months is a very lenient sentence for such a horiffic attack on a postman by this breed of dogs or indeed any dogs, and the owner of said dogs should have been banned for life for keeping dogs. As I understand it this version of events somehow differs slightly from what appears in the CWU website LTB 169/08 dated 4th March 2008. The CWU says that Paul went through no less than eight operations, including skin grafts and repairs to bite wounds which penetrated down to the bone tearing off huge lumps of flesh.

My best wishes to Paul and his family.

[Lounge Lizard]

http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/new ... 4009549.jp

A TEENAGER whose dogs savaged a postman on his rounds in Sheffield, tearing "lumps of flesh" from his legs, has been jailed for nine months.
Jamal Richards, aged 19, was locked up after his two bulldog terriers dragged postie Paul Coleman to the ground and subjected him to a bloody 15-minute mauling.

Sheffield Crown Court heard Richards had already been warned about his dangerous dogs – yet on the day of the attack they were not chained up and managed to escape. One is still on the loose to this day.

Mr Coleman, 40, spent six days in hospital and had two operations, skin grafts and plastic surgery.

The court heard he still suffers psychological problems after the incident last December, is still off work, and has reduced mobility and permanent scarring.

The father of two told The Star his children were "used to seeing a big strong dad, not someone who can't walk across the living room".

Sentencing Richards, Judge Alan Goldsack QC told him: "The photos show quite dreadful injuries. Lumps of flesh were literally torn from his body and he was in a state of trauma – as, no doubt, were witnesses and his wife and children."

He added: "Anyone knows these kinds of dogs can cause very serious injuries if they are not properly controlled.

"You'd had a warning from the Post Office a few weeks before, but neither dog was chained or controlled and they escaped and jointly launched a vicious attack."

Richards was jailed for nine months after pleading guilty to two charges of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place. He was also banned from keeping dogs for seven years.

The teenager lived with his girlfriend and young child in a small terraced house on Birdwell Road, Grimesthorpe.

The dogs were kept in a shed in the backyard which neighbours and the postman had to cross. The dogs were not permanently chained and they frequently escaped.

On December 18 Mr Coleman was delivering mail on nearby Rothay Road when both animals came after him "barking, growling and lunging", the court heard.

He tried to escape but they grabbed a leg each and pulled him to the ground.

Fiona Swain, prosecuting, said a neighbour broke the shaft of a garden rake hitting one of the dogs. The dog was also struck with a hammer and covered in hot porridge, but it refused to let go.

A workman repeatedly hit the other dog with a metal bar. The dogs finally broke off at the sound of approaching sirens. One was captured and put down, but the other has not been found.

Speaking after the case Mr Coleman, of Richmond Avenue, Richmond, said he still suffers flashbacks and has a heightened fear of dogs.

He said he hoped to return to work in six weeks.

"Hopefully this will show people can't leave dogs out to cause damage, because they risk jail if they do," he said.

Mr Coleman has launched a legal claim for compensation.

IMHO 9 months is a very lenient sentence for such a horiffic attack on a postman by this breed of dogs or indeed any dogs, and the owner of said dogs should have been banned for life for keeping dogs. As I understand it this version of events somehow differs slightly from what appears in the CWU website LTB 169/08 dated 4th March 2008. The CWU says that Paul went through no less than eight operations, including skin grafts and repairs to bite wounds which penetrated down to the bone tearing off huge lumps of flesh.

My best wishes to Paul and his family.

Yes, had it been a poiceman rather than a postman that had been savaged the sentence would be nearer nine years than nine months, such is the warped sense of values of society in general and the judiciary in particular.