Geraldine Knibb’s American bulldog Stella mauled three people in the space of two months and Liverpool Crown Court heard how she did “nothing” after the animal attacked
The owner of a vicious dog who stood by and “did nothing” as the animal attacked three people has been told her pet will be destroyed.
Geraldine Knibb’s American bulldog Stella mauled the terrified strangers, including an ambulance driver as he attempted to help a patient on crutches walk to his home. She covered her face with her hand as she was told the dog will be put to death after she was accused of failing to restrain the creature.
The first reported incident occurred on November 10 last year, when victim Gediminas Valkiunas was walking to the shops in Bootle, Merseyside. He passed by a block of flats, where he noticed a man he knew standing in the garden. But when he approached his friend, Knibb’s dog bolted out of the flats towards him.
At Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, prosecutor Shannon Stewart said: “He tried to run away and hide from the dog, but it followed him and located him hiding behind a bin. He tried to use the bin to shield himself, however the dog proceeded to bite his left trainer.”
Mr Valkiunas then attempted to shield himself behind a discarded fridge, but was bitten on the calf and dragged to the ground, where Stella continued to try to bite him. Ms Stewart said: “He had cuts to his face and hands and he believed the dog was trying to bite his throat.”
Mr Valkiunas was taken to hospital, where he received antibiotics and an injection. The following day, November 11, Stella attacked again, biting Jacqueline Bond as she visited Knibb in her home, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Ms Stewart said: “Inside the property she (Ms Bond) stood up to blow her nose, dropping a tissue on the floor. When she went to retrieve the item, the dog ran at her out of nowhere and bit her hand. The dog then latched onto her and started to shake her. In order for the dog to let go of her, it had to be kicked by others at the address.”
The dog then attacked Ms Bond again, pinning her to the wall and biting her left wrist. Following the attack she visited a walk-in centre, where her wounds were bandaged. The final incident occurred on January 10 this year, when ambulance driver William McVeigh attended the flat block to help a patient, who was on crutches, walk back to his home.
Ms Stewart said: “A woman opened the door – believed to be Knibb – and there was a dog in the living room. The dog came running towards him and was barking. The dog ran past the woman and latched onto his arm, biting him. On this occasion police were called and the victim had to attend hospital, where he had to undergo surgery to his hand and arm.”
In a police interview, Knibb, of St Edmond’s Road in Bootle, denied her dog had been dangerously out of control on the first two occasions. However, she pleaded guilty to three counts of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, causing injury.
She appeared in court via a video link from HMP Styal, as the court heard the 58-year-old had been given a seven-year prison sentence for being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin in April this year.
Ms Stewart said: “She has 89 previous convictions for 192 offences. The majority relate to dishonesty offences. Her most recent conviction prior to the offences was possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine in December 2020, for which she received 68 months in prison.”
Jason Smith, defending, said: “She had a release date in respect of the drug matters in August 2026. She now faces a position where she is going to receive another sentence to what she received in April this year. The primary issue to consider is simply the totality, for the sentence to be just and proportionate. Your Honour will have regard to the guilty pleas entered at the first opportunity.
“The defendant is very distressed at the thought that the dog will have to be put down. There’s no realistic alternative for this court. There’s no information that can be put that’s contrary to the mandatory requirements in place. It’s regrettable from her point of view. The dog is seven-years-old and she maintains it never caused any problems until last year.”
Sentencing Knibb, Judge David Potter said: “These offences are so serious only a custodial sentence can be justified. You knew the dangers that Stella posed and did nothing to prevent the injuries from happening.”
Knibb was sentenced to eight months in prison for Stella’s attacks on Mr Valkiunas and Ms Bond, to run concurrently. She was sentenced to 12 months for the dog’s attack on Ms McVeigh, to be served consecutively to the existing seven-year sentence for drugs.
The judge also made a destruction order for Stella to be put down, as he said there had been “no evidence supplied” to oppose it. Knibb covered her face with her hand as the order was made.
