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Emma Bennett dog attack death: Partner Lee Horner sentenced | Emma Bennett dog attack death: Partner Lee Horner sentenced |
(35 minutes later) | |
A man whose dogs killed his pregnant partner has been spared jail after a judge said the tragedy would torment him for the rest of his life. | |
Mother-of-four Emma Bennett, 27, died after she was attacked by the animals at her home in Leeds on 9 December. | Mother-of-four Emma Bennett, 27, died after she was attacked by the animals at her home in Leeds on 9 December. |
Lee Horner, 34, was ordered at Leeds Magistrates' Court to do 280 hours of unpaid work. | |
Deputy District Judge Tim Spruce said a prison term could not compensate for the loss of a loving mother of four. | |
Horner, of Helston Green, Leeds, pleaded guilty to owning dogs prohibited by the Dangerous Dogs Act. | |
Judge Spruce described the attack as "unpredictable, but with devastating consequences". | |
'Bear responsibility' | |
The court heard police were called to the house Horner shared with Miss Bennett in Dawlish Avenue in December after neighbours reported hearing what they thought was an argument. | |
Miss Bennett was allegedly heard shouting "no, no, no". | |
When officers arrived, they found the dogs, named Bella and Dollar, with blood on their noses and Miss Bennett lying motionless on the floor with extensive facial and head injuries. | When officers arrived, they found the dogs, named Bella and Dollar, with blood on their noses and Miss Bennett lying motionless on the floor with extensive facial and head injuries. |
She was taken to hospital but died two days later. | |
Judge Spruce said Horner had shown "deep remorse", but he had failed to take reasonable steps to establish the nature of the dogs. | |
He added: "You must live for the rest of his life with the torment of bearing the responsibility for Emma's death." | |
The court heard Horner had threatened to set one of the dogs on two female social workers months before the fatal attack. | |
Prosecutors said he told one woman "shut it or I'll set the dog on you", and told another, who was pregnant, "What you looking at? Wait until I get the dog and see if you continue looking at me like that." | |
Horner was banned from keeping dogs for life and ordered to pay £800 costs. | |
The dogs will be destroyed. |
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