A young girl who was left with horrific wounds to her face after a pitbull attacked her is set to undergo her fourth operation later this year.
Tillie Vasey, from Ribbleton, Lancashire, underwent a nine hour operation after suffering bite marks, punctures around her eyes and eyelids, as well as a torn eye duct when a pitbull mauled her.
The four-year-old was attacked while playing with her friends in a garden, back in July 2018.
The dog owner Dawn Holt, who blames the young her for the attack, has been spared from jail and ordered to do 140 hours of unpaid work.
Tillie Vasey, from Ribbleton, Lancashire, suffered bite marks, punctures around her eyes and eyelids, and a torn eye duct after she was attacked by a pitbull dog while playing with her friends in a garden, back in July 2018
Her mother, Leanne Vasey (pictured with Tillie), said: ‘When I first saw Tillie I thought someone had painted her face – then I couldn’t move’
Her mother, Leanne Vasey, 31, said: ‘When I first saw Tillie I thought someone had painted her face – then I couldn’t move.
The mother added that her little girl has been left with no confidence and physical scars on her head, face and eyes.
Mrs Vasey added: ‘Dawn Holt has never apologised to us, not once, and instead tried to blame my little girl. If she had have been sorry, things would have felt different.’
Dawn Holt took to Facebook to blame the young girl for the attack before the court case was hear and wrote: ‘It’s her own fault she gone that low. My dog didn’t bite her, he clawed her to get away.’
‘He’s not a dangerous dog hes been raise with my son and all my nieces and nephews for 12 years.
‘It’s sad I’ll never speak to that girl again and it’s her own fault she gone that low,’ she said.
The dog’s owner Dawn Holt took to Facebook to blame the young girl for the attack, she wrote: ‘It’s her own fault she gone that low. My dog didn’t bite her, he clawed her to get away.’
Meanwhile, Dawn Holt took to Facebook to blame the young girl for the attack, she wrote: ‘It’s her own fault she gone that low. My dog didn’t bite her, he clawed her to get away’
Her bizarre online comments in the aftermath of the attack attracted criticism from Judge Simon Newell, who imposed a three month jail term, suspended for 18 months, and 140 hours unpaid work.
He said suggestions by Holt that the injuries were caused by the dog’s claws are ‘unrealistic’.
Judge Newell also pointed out suggestions in social media posts that what happened was the youngsters’s fault were ‘wholly irresponsible’.
‘It’s irresponsible to put anything on, other than: ‘I’m sorry’, that’s all you needed,’ he said.
He also ordered the 12 year old pitbull to be destroyed and a life ban on her keeping dogs.
A harrowing statement from a witness named Warren – who stepped in to save Tillie – described the moment he saw the dog ‘mauling’ the little girl.
He said: ‘She was being thrown around like a ragdoll – it looked vicious.’
He said Holt had jumped onto the dog and tried to take hold of Tillie, who was lying on the floor, conscious and crying.
He added: ‘I couldn’t see her face for the blood. She was rushed back home into the arms of her mum and then to hospital.’