Overview
- The five-year-old suffered severe scalp injuries requiring a skin graft, leaving permanent scarring and a lasting fear of dogs.
- Courteney Chearman was found guilty of owning a dog that caused injury while dangerously out of control and was ordered to complete 70 hours of unpaid work.
- Victoria Marks admitted being in charge of the dog during the attack and received a one-year suspended sentence, 150 hours of unpaid work, 15 days of rehabilitation, and a 10-year ban on having custody of a dog.
- Police seized the XL Bully, named Chappy, after the incident, and the animal was euthanised in October 2024.
- Prosecutors said no crate, gates, or visitor precautions were in place and noted that the owner had started but not completed the required XL Bully exemption process.