A schoolgirl suffered horrific injuries following a dog attack in Chadwell Heath, as detailed in a recent court hearing. The incident occurred on March 30, 2023, when Sharon Dourado, 44, was walking her ex-partner’s husky, Rocky, on a lead along Somerville Road, close to the A12.
During the walk, Dourado reportedly lost her grip on the leash when Rocky unexpectedly lunged at the girl, who was an A-level student returning home from school around 4:30 PM. The frightened student described the moment in a police statement: “I was on my phone, looked up and saw a woman walking a dog. When I looked up again, I saw the dog had its mouth open and was showing its teeth while running at me.”
In a desperate attempt to escape, the girl ran, but Rocky chased her down, jumping on her back and knocking her to the ground. Dourado eventually managed to pull Rocky off the girl, but the attack was not over. The dog pursued her again, leading to a second attack that left the girl momentarily unconscious. When she regained her senses, she fled once more, only to be tackled by Rocky a third time. This time, the dog bit her right leg and shook it aggressively.
At a hearing on October 3, images of the girl’s severe leg injuries were presented at London’s dog court at Willesden Magistrates’ Court. After the attack, she was rushed to King George’s Hospital and subsequently transferred to Queen’s Hospital, where she spent a week recovering and required surgery due to her injuries.
In her victim statement, the girl expressed the profound impact the incident had on her life. “I’m also now scared of dogs and walk in different directions or cross the road when I see dogs,” she noted, highlighting how the attack disrupted her A-level preparations.
Dourado, a resident of Woodrush Way in Chadwell Heath, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog that was dangerously out of control and caused injury. Although the dog was not hers, as it belonged to her ex-partner who had left it in her care, she acknowledged her responsibility in the situation. She expressed sincere apologies for the incident.
Prosecutor Edward Kalber revealed that the current whereabouts of the dog remain unknown, as it was not confiscated by the police following the attack. The case has been forwarded to Harrow Crown Court for sentencing at a later date.
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