Dog owner jailed after six-year-old girl injured in Trafford attack

A man whose pack of dogs savaged a six-year-old girl in Trafford has been jailed for more than four years.

Bernard Valentine (29/06/1987), of Ackers Lane, Carrington, was imprisoned for 49 months at Minshull Street Crown Court today (22 September) for the attack involving his Pocket Bulldogs.

Valentine was also banned from owning dogs for life and has a 10-year restraining order after pleading guilty to eight charges of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and possession of Class B drugs.

The court heard how the attack took place on Sunday 26 March 2023 as the youngster walked to her friend's house on Ackers Lane.

As she walked past the address Valentine was staying at in his camper van outside, she was set upon by a pack of six dogs that were being kept in the back garden and in the defendant’s camper van.

The girl's older sister bravely tried to wrestle the dogs off her as she was being attacked on the pavement. It was only when the child's mother picked her up that the dogs ran off.

The victim sustained serious injuries to her face, scalp, hand, abdomen, arms, legs, back and shoulder, for which she has since had surgery.

Valentine was arrested on Tuesday 28 March 2023 when his van was traced to Fallowfield in south Manchester and the dogs were seized.

He was also arrested in connection with another incident on Ackers Lane on Tuesday 20 December 2022 when a man was walking his Dalmatian with both injured after being set upon by the dogs and a member of the public having to intervene.

DC Goodhand, of Trafford CID, said: "Firstly we would like to thank the victims for supporting this prosecution and whilst nothing can take these experiences away from them, we hope that today's sentence goes some way to allowing them to heal and move on.

We would urge anyone with information in respect of dangerous animals to report this to the police so that approiriate action can be taken by police and our partner agencies 

"This can be reported to police, via 101 or anonymously through the independent charity - Crimestoppers - on 0800 555 111."