Mum and son sentenced after death of woman in dog attack in Netherton
Marie Stevens died two weeks after she spotted to pet two Rottweilers in Netherton
Last updated 23rd May 2024
A “massive” dog lover died after she was savaged by two Rottweilers she had innocently stopped to stroke in Netherton.
40-year-old Marie Stevens passed away at home just over two weeks after the “frenzied” unprovoked attack with them acting as a pack, having suffered a fatal deep vein thrombosis.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today (Thur) that a pathologist found “a direct causation to her death and the dog attack”.
69-year-old Rachel Walshe and her son, Brian, 42, today (Thur) both received ten month prison sentences suspended for 18 months having both admitted being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.
Moving impact statements were read to Liverpool Crown Court from relatives and a friend of the victim and two men and a woman stormed out of court when the judge suspended the sentences.
Robert Dudley, prosecuting, had told the court that the attack happened at about 5.45 pm on August 18 last year on Park Lane West, Netherton and the second dog joined in after the first dog bit her and was “ragging” her about.
The defendants, of Grosvenor Close, Netherton, had been walking their dogs on leads and when they saw Mrs Stevens, who was going to her sister’s nearby home for tea, walking towards them they moved from the footpath to grass verge and stopped.
Judge Andrew Menary, KC, the Recorder of Liverpool, said, “The circumstances of this case are truly tragic involving as it does the sudden, unexpected and needless loss of life.”
He continued,”Marie was a kind and loving person who particularly loved animals, in particular dogs and what happened is thus a terrible irony.
“As she approached she asked if she could stroke the dogs, I have no doubt that she did do that.”
Mr Dudley told the court that the incident was caught on CCTV and there was clearly a conversation between Mrs Stevens and the defendants and Brian Walshe motions to Mrs Stevens to approach.
Witnesses saw Mrs Stevens put a bag down on the floor, then take a step towards the dogs and put her hand out as if to stroke them.
“Frankie, the dog being held by Rachel Walshe then bit the lower part of Mrs Stevens arm and dragged her to the ground, witnesses describe the dog as “ragging her”.
Brian Walshe was trying to restrain the dogs, but it reached the point where both dogs were out of control and attacking Mrs Stevens. Eventually Brian Walshe managed to regain control of the dogs while Rachel Walshe remained with Mrs Stevens who was on the ground.”
Judge Menary said an expert said there was an individual attack by each dog but also working together as a pack.
“That is the problem with large and powerful dogs like these. That is why the public is so concerned about the casual ownership of such animals.
“Regular news stories tell us that they can behave unpredictably without warning and when they do the consequences can be catastrophic.”
He said the victim, who did nothing to provoke the attack, suffered serious injuries involving multiple wounds all over her limbs and including a degloving injury to her calf and large wound to her ankle and leg.
Mrs Stevens, who worked with the mentally ill and the elderly, was kept in Aintree Hospital and had a skin graft operation on August 24 and remained in hospital until September 1 and was expected to make a good eventual recovery.
Her husband Mark helped her to bed the next evening and the following morning he found her lying dead near the backdoor and bathroom.
The judge said that it was clear she was a deeply loved person, highly regarded by everyone who knew her. “Their lives have been damaged irreparably - not only by their loss but also by their knowledge of the circumstances in which she was taken from them.”
Sentencing the mum and son he said he accepted they were genuinely remorseful and both have mental health concerns.
He also ordered them to carry out 20 days rehabilitation activities and pay £3,500 each towards the costs of the police kennels where their dogs have been kept since the attack.
He ordered the destruction of both dog and banned Rachel Walshe from keeping dogs for life and banned her son from dog ownership for five years. He also has to pay £500 towards the prosecution costs and his mum has to pay £150.