Latest news with #CaernarfonCrownCourt
North Wales Live
8 hours ago
- North Wales Live
'If I had known there was an XL Bully in that house I would never have left him'
The mother of a boy badly injured by an XL Bully has told how she feels "guilt" at leaving him with the dog owner's family. Ffion Williams left her son Caio Shaw at a house before a birthday party. But she told Caernarfon Crown Court that she had "no idea" that the Parry family had an XL Bully and would never have let her son, then eight, enter the house if she had done. Caio and another boy walked out onto the street, but Ian Parry's dog got out and attacked Caio. Today the court heard the traumatic sequence of events on Sunday, August 11 last year that ended in horror. Prosecutor Richard Edwards told how Mrs Williams walked her so to the home of their neighbours - the Parry family. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here Mrs Williams spoke to Sadie Parry, the mother of Caio's friend Corey. The boys, who were due to go to a party in Caernarfon, went briefly upstairs and Mrs Williams left. The boys came out onto the street North Penrallt but Corey forgot his money and went back inside. Then the Parrys' XL Bully came out and "focussed" on Caio, according to Corey's grandmother Yvette Hodgson. Caio put his arms up but the dog "leapt up towards Caio's face". Mrs Hodgson tried to get the dog off and "shield" Caio but the dog got hold of Caio's right hand and Mrs Hodgson heard a "crunching sound". The dog's owner Ian Parry came out and stabbed it in the chest and stomach. But it "went for" Caio and bit Mrs Hodgson on the forehead, said prosecutor Mr Edwards. "It wasn't until the defendant (Parry) stabbed the dog for a second time that the dog stopped attacking Caio," he added. The court was told how Caio's mother Ffion, who was at home nearby, heard a woman shouting "Get the kids" and the shouting went into a more "frantic and panicking state". She rushed outside and went to her own mother's house where Caio had been taken. "She saw he was covered in blood with his eye completely shut. She saw that he had lost his right thumb," said Mr Edwards. Armed police arrived and "the decision was made to dispatch the dog with a single shot to the head," he said. Paramedics took Caio to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor then Alder Hey children's hospital on Merseyside. Today Caio's mum Ffion Williams read out a powerful victim statement at Caernarfon Crown Court. She told how she kissed Caio Goodbye that day but "if I had known there was an XL Bully in that house I would never have left him. 'Mum, I'm going to die' "They are in the news and have a bad reputation. I would never have taken the risk." On hearing the shouts she rushed to her mum's house. "I was just focussed on going to get Caio. He was on the sofa covered in blood with blood on the pillows and throws. "He was saying: 'Mum, I'm going to die'. It was horrible. I saw his right thumb was gone. "As the lounge filled with medics I remember a man in a red uniform saying we would have to get him to hospital. He said something about the risk of infection. "His little body was covered in scratches and bites. I thought he had lost an eye." She said Caio's dad, who was also there, was "completely hysterical". Ffion told the court, from the witness box: "I felt so much guilt for leaving him." Then paramedics said they would have to sedate Caio with ketamine. Ffion said "(This) really upset me. I thought 'Ketamine? Is that not what junkies have to take?' My brain was not keeping up with what was going on." She gave her consent for the ketamine which was administered and Caio's body "just flopped". Later Caio was given water and vomited during the journey to Alder Hey. "I felt I was on some sort of cloud, wondering how the day could have started so nicely and ended with me in an ambulance on the way to a children's hospital." Ffion said she played Mr Bean videos on her phone to distract Caio, while his wounds were treated as as he was so frightened. 'Caio could have been killed' He had four hours of surgery. She said: "Caio could have been killed that day if no-one else had been around, if the dog was fully grown or if had managed to get hold of his neck. "I never want him to see me crying or in pain (but) I feel so guilty. It was me who took him there and left him. I could not protect him." But the effects have been profound. She said her son had been "caring and sensitive, bright and bubbly". He had also been "adventurous and boisterous" but is now more wary. He has nightmares but is strong enough to walk along the far side of the street from where the incident unfolded. He wants to know who is taking him to school and is seeing a child psychologist, the court heard. In his own statement, read by his mum, Caio said his friends sometimes tease him which makes him "sad". His hand can hurt in cold weather and it can be difficult to grip his PlayStation 5 controller. When surgeons suggested they use a big toe to reconstruct his missing thumb Caio said "No way" as he wants no more pain. The court heard today that Parry had bought the 11kg dog from someone on Facebook for £1,000. He wouldn't tell police from whom or whether they were in Caernarfon. Vet Charlie Grainger said he was "satisfied" it was an XL Bully. Simon Killeen, defending, said Parry is "haunted" by the events and there is "persistent evidence of regret and remorse". He urged the judge to suspend the father-of-four's custodial sentence for being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury. The judge Her Honour Nicola Jones said the dog had not had a collar or harness which had "impeded" the attempts to get it off Caio and Mrs Hodgson. The consequences are ongoing. The boy has become withdrawn and has developed a stammer. Other children have been cruel to him by calling him names. Jailing Parry for 26 months, she also banned him from having custody of a dog "indefinitely". After the dog attack the family said they had been "overwhelmed" by the support from the community.
North Wales Live
10 hours ago
- North Wales Live
XL Bully owner jailed after Caernarfon boy lost thumb in savage dog attack
A dog owner has been jailed after his XL Bully mauled a boy in the street in an horrific attack. Nine-year-old Caio Shaw lost his right thumb after Ian Parry's dog escaped on to a street in Caernarfon and pounced on the child. Caernarfon Crown Court heard Parry's daughter had probably let the dog out of its cage and it went on to North Penrallt and soon "focussed" on Caio, who was then aged eight. It lunged at him and a woman Yvonne Hodgson tried to fight off the dog. Parry, 45, himself came out of his house with a knife and stabbed the dog twice. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here Armed police then arrived and one officer shot the animal dead. Caio, whose thumb was "partially-amputated" by the dog, remains "terrified" of the idea of stumbling across the animal even though he has been told it is "gone". Caernarfon Crown Court heard his friends sometimes tease him about the injury which he can now treat as "banter" although the name still sometimes upsets him. The judge Her Honour Nicola Jones said children of that age can be "cruel". Caio has rejected surgeons' continuing suggestion that they use a toe to try to reconstruct his missing thumb as he doesn't want to endure yet more "pain". He suffers flashbacks and insists his mum Ffion Williams sleeps with him with the bedroom door tightly shut. Parry, a part-time fish and chip shop worker, of North Penrallt, Caernarfon, pleaded guilty to owning a dog dangerously out of control which caused injury. But a judge today said due to the "ongoing" effects of the horrific injury she could not suspend his sentence. She jailed him for 26 months and said he must serve up to half his sentence, with the remainder served on licence.
North Wales Live
24-07-2025
- North Wales Live
Man died in Tesco car park collision after driver's foot 'slipped from brake'
An elderly driver's foot "slipped" onto the accelerator in a Tesco car park before he caused the death of a man. Timothy Field, 81, crashed into David Lumb in the supermarket car park in Newtown, Powys. Mr Lumb, 78, was taken to hospital but died 17 days later. Caernarfon Crown Court today heard Mr Lumb's widow Jean called for "forgiveness and leniency" following the tragedy. The judge Her Honour Nicola Jones said Mrs Lumb's attitude was remarkable and rare. She gave Field, of Red Lane, Tregodva, Shropshire, an eight-month prison sentence for causing death by careless driving but suspended it for 12 months. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here Prosecutor Sion ap Mihangel said Mr and Mrs Lumb had been to Tesco in Newtown on March 18 last year. She returned to their car while Mr Lumb used the toilets. The defendant, who was in a red Jeep, asked Mrs Lumb, who was sitting in her parked Dodge Nitro car driver's seat, if she was about to leave. The prosecutor said: "It appeared to Mrs Lumb that he (Mr Field) was anxious to park in the same spot. "She replied they would have to wait a minute as her husband was on his way." Mr Lumb then came out of Tesco and walked in front of the red Jeep. But the Jeep drove forward and collided with Mr Lumb, knocking him to the ground, said the prosecutor. He was in front of its passenger side. The Jeep then went forward again, going over his leg. Mrs Lumb initially thought her husband had fallen over but then noticed blood from his nose and temple. Mr ap Mihangel said: "He was laughing and she (Mrs Lumb) did not think he was seriously injured. (But) others at the scene were noticeably angry towards the defendant, who repeatedly said he was sorry." Emergency services were called. Field later told police he had been looking for a disabled parking space, adding: "My foot became wedged between both pedals," adding that his car "lurched forward". The court heard after hitting Mr Lumb the Jeep continued and collided with another car. Field said he "was in shock" and that he co-operated with the emergency services. Mr Lumb was taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. The casualty, who was already on blood thinners, had suffered tissue damage and bled extensively into his left leg. The tissue died in his leg and he was in "complete agony". There were discussions about an amputation but by April 4 it was not viable. Mr Lumb, of Carno, developed sepsis and died that day, seventeen days after the collision. The court heard the couple had been married for 45 years. Mrs Lumb's husband, a former engineer, had a passion for archery, wood carving and a pilot's licence. Mrs Lumb read a statement from the witness box today. She said Mr Lumb - Dave to her - had been a "blunt Yorkshireman with a dry sense of humour and kind". They had even "joked" in hospital that he could compete in archery in the Paralympics. But his condition deteriorated. She said he told her to get some sleep and she left. Mrs Lumb said: "The hospital rang me three hours later to say that he had died. When I went to the hospital to see him he still had a smile on his face." Mrs Lumb said Mr Lumb was a role model in accepting adversity. Today she also said: "I comforted Mr Field and told him we would not be pressing charges." She said Field has now had his punishment and called for "compassion and leniency" from the judge. The judge Her Honour Nicola Jones told the defendant his "foot had slipped from the brake onto the accelerator and become wedged in that divide, colliding with Mr Lumb and running him over". The court heard Field has given up driving but the judge disqualified him from driving for two years. He must pass an extended retest before he ever drives again. She said Mr Lumb had been a "quietly remarkable man" and added that Mrs Lumb herself had shown "resilience, compassion and forgiveness" which was rare and that it had been an "honour" to meet her.
Powys County Times
24-07-2025
- Powys County Times
Dodge driver spared prison over Newtown Tesco car park death
A driver in his 80s has been spared prison for causing the death of a disabled man after running him over in a supermarket car park. David Christopher Lumb was 78 when he died in hospital from sepsis more than a fortnight after he was tragically knocked down by an automatic red Dodge Nitro SUV driven by 81-year-old Timothy Field outside Tesco in Newtown on March 18 last year. Blue Badge holder Field was waiting for Mr Lumb's wife to vacate a disabled parking bay when his foot became wedged between the brake and the accelerator. "Blunt Yorkshireman" Mr Lumb was making his way to his wife's car when he was knocked to the ground by the vehicle which again launched forward over his legs before hitting another car. The incident was captured on CCTV. Carno pensioner Mr Lumb, who was seen laughing and didn't think he was seriously injured, was taken to hospital but by April 3, his condition deteriorated as the tissue in his leg died and he was in "complete agony", Caernarfon Crown Court was told. Mr Lumb opted for end-of-life care and died on April 4 with "a smile on his face", his widow said. Dr Jean Lumb told the court that her husband remained cheerful after the collision and "never expressed resentment towards the driver". She explained that he was a "tremendous" role model for people in adversity, using his dry humour. Mr Lumb's widow travelled to Australia in April, the first anniversary of his death, to celebrate 45 years of marriage, where she suffered a heart attack and spent five weeks in hospital in Canberra. "When I comforted Mr Field [at the scene of the crash], I assured him that we were not pressing charges," she said. "I still feel the same; that he had his punishment. I ask for compassion and leniency." Her Honour Judge Nicola Jones praised Dr Lumb for her strength of character following the tragic death of her beloved husband. "You were very lucky to have a man like David in your life," she said. "He seems to have been a quietly remarkable man. "But I will say that you are a remarkable woman who has shown resilience and compassion and forgiveness which we don't often see in this court. That's a reflection of you and David. Defence barrister Owen Edwards KC echoed the judge's words about Dr Lumb, adding that Field was "grateful beyond measure" for her "remarkable approach". Mr Edwards said: "His gratitude is extended because of her kindness in being willing to see him at the crown court but also requesting to see him. "They had an hour together and, in that context, when he found out for the first time that she had suffered a heart attack his immediate comment was 'well, that must have brought it along'. It's the measure of guilt that he feels. "He is a broken man as a result of this and he has had a similar medical history, with two strokes. He was dealing that with resilience until this incident and is now wheelchair-bound partly by the loss of spirit. "That has seemed to some extent been remedied by meeting Dr Lumb. He could not believe that people like her existed. "He's lived with the pressure of a prison sentence which he accepts. What he couldn't live with was what he has brought about. He is somebody who considers road safety as paramount importance. "The public must know that this is not a case where a man hasn't suffered punishment. He has suffered his punishment. He has given up his licence and will never drive again." Judge Jones told Field that he came to court ready to go to prison "and that would have been for himself some recompense for the death of Mr Lumb. But I am not sending him immediately to prison today". She sentenced Field to eight months in prison which was suspended for 12 months after he admitted causing Mr Lumb's death by careless driving at an earlier hearing. "The punishment is having to live with the death of Mr Lumb for the rest of your life," the judge explained.
North Wales Live
23-07-2025
- North Wales Live
Man almost lost his leg after driver's 'momentary lapse of concentration'
A biker almost lost his leg after being struck by a car. Marc Rostron was left with serious injuries and faced having his leg amputated after the motorbike he was riding was struck by a car being driven by Harrison Lavin. A court heard a "momentary lapse of concentration" by Lavin led to the collision taking place. Lavin failed to see Mr Rostron when he pulled out of a road, joining Llandudno Road, Rhos on Seas, on May 26, 2023 at about 9.20pm. The conditions were clear and dry. The Citreon DS3 driven by Lavin, who was 18-years-old at the time, struck Mr Rostron's motorcycle, who was travelling along Llandudno Road at between 25-30mph, with his lights on, knocking him off the bike. Lavin admitted causing serious injuries by careless driving. Lavin, now aged 20, of Parc Castell, Llandudno Junction, did what he could at the scene, Caernarfon Crown Court heard, but Mr Rostron was left badly injured. Jade Tufail, prosecuting, said the victim was initially taken to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd on a spinal board, before being transferred to the Royal Stoke University Hospital. Mr Rostron had suffered open fractures to his leg, ankle and foot, as well as a "complete division of his achilles tendon", she said. He was in hospital for three months, needing four operations and had faced the prospect of his leg being amputated due to a lack of healing. However in March this year, it was confirmed that was not required. He also suffered frequent infections. A victim impact statement from Mr Rostron said he was still suffering from the injuries, which had weakened his right leg and left him unable to walk more than a couple of hundred metres, meaning his parents had to do his shopping, with a carer coming in once a week to help. It had also increased his mental health problems, due to being unable to get out and ride his motorbike like he used to, leading to depression and anxiety. The court heard Lavin had no previous convictions and was of positive good character. Richard Dawson, defending, said the defendant had entered an early guilty plea, had fully co-operated with the investigation, was genuinely remorseful, had no other endorsements on his licence and was in full time employment and also volunteered to help youngsters at a local boxing gym. "It was an out of character incident, borne out of inexperience," said Mr Dawson. Judge Nicola Jones said the collision had caused Mr Rostron serious injuries to his leg, ankle and foot, after an unsafe manoeuvre, following a "momentary lapse of concentration" by Lavin. "It was inexperience, rather than irresponsibility, that caused the collision," she said. Judge Jones sentenced Lavin to 40 hours unpaid work and disqualified him from driving for 12 months - with no extended retest. He was also ordered to pay costs of £150.
