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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/mar/17/owners-dogs-trained-to-be-aggressive-harsher-sentences-attacks
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| Owners of dogs trained to be aggressive face harsher sentences for attacks | Owners of dogs trained to be aggressive face harsher sentences for attacks |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Owners could also be deemed to have ‘high culpability’ if dog is used as a weapon or is a banned species, under new guidelines | |
| Press Association | |
| Thu 17 Mar 2016 08.08 GMT | |
| Last modified on Thu 17 Mar 2016 12.28 GMT | |
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| Owners of killer dogs will face harsher sentences if the animals have been trained to be aggressive, under new guidelines for judges. | Owners of killer dogs will face harsher sentences if the animals have been trained to be aggressive, under new guidelines for judges. |
| The owner or person in charge of a dangerously out of control dog that kills a person will face between six and 14 years in prison if they are deemed to have “high culpability”. | The owner or person in charge of a dangerously out of control dog that kills a person will face between six and 14 years in prison if they are deemed to have “high culpability”. |
| This could apply if the dog is used as a weapon, is a banned species, or has been trained to be aggressive. The same factors will also be used to assess blameworthiness in cases where a victim is injured. | This could apply if the dog is used as a weapon, is a banned species, or has been trained to be aggressive. The same factors will also be used to assess blameworthiness in cases where a victim is injured. |
| The guidelines from the Sentencing Council follow changes to legislation in 2014, including an extension of the law to cover attacks on private property and sharp increases in maximum sentences. The harshest punishment for an offence where someone is killed has increased from two to 14 years. | The guidelines from the Sentencing Council follow changes to legislation in 2014, including an extension of the law to cover attacks on private property and sharp increases in maximum sentences. The harshest punishment for an offence where someone is killed has increased from two to 14 years. |
| The guidelines cover cases ranging from a nip to a serious attack causing life-changing or fatal injuries. | The guidelines cover cases ranging from a nip to a serious attack causing life-changing or fatal injuries. |
| District judge Richard Williams, a member of the Sentencing Council, said: “We know that the majority of dog owners are responsible and ensure their pets do not put anyone in danger, but there are some irresponsible owners whose dogs do put people at risk of injury and in some cases even death.” | District judge Richard Williams, a member of the Sentencing Council, said: “We know that the majority of dog owners are responsible and ensure their pets do not put anyone in danger, but there are some irresponsible owners whose dogs do put people at risk of injury and in some cases even death.” |
| Malcolm Richardson, national chairman of the Magistrates’ Association, said the range of seriousness in dangerous dog cases was “very considerable”. | Malcolm Richardson, national chairman of the Magistrates’ Association, said the range of seriousness in dangerous dog cases was “very considerable”. |
| He said: “Because no two cases are the same, magistrates appreciate having as flexible a range of guidelines at their disposal as possible. It helps them to do their job of steering justice fairly.” | He said: “Because no two cases are the same, magistrates appreciate having as flexible a range of guidelines at their disposal as possible. It helps them to do their job of steering justice fairly.” |
| There is also a new guideline covering an offence where assistance dogs are injured or killed. Each year more than 100 guide dogs are attacked by other dogs, according to the charity Guide Dogs. | There is also a new guideline covering an offence where assistance dogs are injured or killed. Each year more than 100 guide dogs are attacked by other dogs, according to the charity Guide Dogs. |
| The guidelines will come into force in courts in England and Wales from July 2016. | The guidelines will come into force in courts in England and Wales from July 2016. |
| The number of people taken to hospital after dog attacks has risen by 76% in the past decade. As of May last year, at least 21 people, including 13 children, had died from dog attacks in England and Wales in the past 10 years. | The number of people taken to hospital after dog attacks has risen by 76% in the past decade. As of May last year, at least 21 people, including 13 children, had died from dog attacks in England and Wales in the past 10 years. |
| Dangerous dogs | |
| Sentencing | |
| UK criminal justice | |
| news | |
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