A woman was left with a tooth “embedded” in her head following a terrifying dog attack in Aberdeen.
American Bulldog Boston ran at and attacked the woman as she tried to bring her own dog into the communal garden of properties on Shapinsay Road in Aberdeen.
The animal initially latched onto the tail of the woman’s dog, but when she intervenes it turned on her, biting her ponytail and dragging her to the ground where it bit her on the head, arm and both feet, leaving her screaming for help.
The woman needed surgery on her arm and ankle and remained in hospital for three days.
And she later discovered a tooth embedded in her head.
Dana Mullen, 42, was in charge of the dog, which belonged to her daughter, at the time of the incident, and has now admitted her guilt in court.
Fiscal depute Christy Ward told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “At 1.15pm on June 25 the complainer intended to take her dog outside into the communal garden before she was due to leave for work.
“As she left her flat and looked out of the back door, she could see that Boston was unattended in the garden and was not on a lead.
“On seeing the complainer, Boston immediately began running towards her and her dog and latched on her dog’s tail.
“Upon being told ‘no’ numerous times by the complainer, Boston let go of her dog, grabbed her by her ponytail with his mouth and pulled her to the ground.
“He then shook her by her ponytail from side to side, at which point the accused entered the garden.
“The complainer recalls the accused stating ‘oh my god, get off her’.
“This did nothing to deter Boston who then bit the complainer’s right foot and moved ‘his jaw round in a tearing motion’. The complainer realised she was bleeding as Boston moved himself round, bit her left ankle and appeared to be trying to pull her into the landing.
“Boston then lost his grip on her ankle but snapped at her, tearing part of her heel.
“Thereafter he grabbed her upper right arm with his mouth with the woman later stating to police that the whole upper part of her arm was in his mouth as she looked him dead in the eye.
“She did not think he was going to let go and thought she was going to die.
“Boston did not stop his attack until the accused’s daughter entered the landing.
“The complainer crawled to her front door and screamed for help until various neighbours came to her assistance and an ambulance was called.
“She was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for her injuries to be assessed. She was found to have multiple puncture wounds to the bottom of both of her feet and grazes over the upper part of both feet.
“She had multiple wounds to her upper arm including two wounds approximately 3cm long with some skin loss. She also had a small wound of 1cm on the back of her head.
“She required surgery on her arm and right ankle and remained in hospital for three days.
“She later found a tooth embedded in her head.”
Mullen, a prisoner of HMP Grampian, pled guilty to being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control and repeatedly bit the woman to her head and body to her injury and permanent disfigurement.
She also admitted two charges over a separate incident of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by following one woman, and also assaulting and robbing a second woman.
Ms Ward told the court the victim in that incident had been walked along Hilton Drive in Aberdeen at 8.25am on August 6 when she “became aware of the accused walking behind her”.
She said: “The woman felt like she was being watched so crossed to the other side of the road, She looked over her shoulder and saw that the accused had also crossed the road and was again walking behind her.”
The woman “quickened her pace” as she walked onto Ash-Hill Place and Mullen “appeared to hide behind a car” at one point. When the woman turned on to Ash-Hill Drive Mullen was lost to view.
At 8.40am on the same day a second woman was to work along Ashgrove Road when she “became aware of the accused behind her, standing near to the traffic lights, putting on a white mask”.
Ms Ward said: “As the woman approached Roxburghe House the accused approached her from behind, put her arm around her neck and said ‘I’ve got a knife’.
“The accused grabbed the handbag she was carrying and tried to pull it off her arm while repeatedly saying ‘give me your bag, I’ve got a knife’.
“The woman tried to keep hold of her bag, refusing to let it go. The accused then produced a pair of nail scissors, said ‘I’ve got a knife, I’ll stab you’ and pressing the scissors against the bag.
“Due to this the woman let go of her bag and the accused ran away.
“The total value of the bag and its contents is approximately £200.”
Defence agent Alex Burn asked for sentence to be deferred for reports and reserved mitigation until the sentencing hearing.
However he did confirm that Boston had been “dispatched” since the incident on June 25.
Sheriff William Summers deferred sentence until January.
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