Overview

• Victoria Hewitt pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog that caused injuries to three young girls, including her daughters and an 11-year-old friend.
• The XL Bully dog, Karma, attacked after a knock at the door, leaving the eight-year-old with a deep wound down to the bone and the other two girls with bite and puncture wounds.
• Hewitt was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 20 days of rehabilitation activities.
• The dog, which had been left in Hewitt's care by an ex-partner, was sedated by police and later destroyed following the attack.
• The case highlights ongoing challenges in enforcing breed-specific legislation introduced in late 2023 to regulate ownership of XL Bullies and prevent such incidents.