I was mauled by my neighbour’s dog after we rowed over his beast trampling our plants – I could have been blinded
A MAN was savaged by a neighbour’s dog after a row about it trampling on plants, a court heard. George Andrew, 26, says he was nearly blinded in the horror attack by the three-and-a-half foot giant bullmastiff dog. The huge five-year-old, called Bronson, clamped onto George’s nose while he was being pinned down by the […]
A MAN was savaged by a neighbour’s dog after a row about it trampling on plants, a court heard.
George Andrew, 26, says he was nearly blinded in the horror attack by the three-and-a-half foot giant bullmastiff dog.
The huge five-year-old, called Bronson, clamped onto George’s nose while he was being pinned down by the dog’s thug owner Ben Matthews, 37.
George, who was trying to defend his girlfriend, was left needing gruelling facial surgery.
Nottingham magistrates said the bullmastiff reacted instinctively to “protect” Matthews when a fracas erupted at their shared flats in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire.
Construction worker George spent two days in hospital after the attack in August last year.
“Matthews was on top of me and my arms were pinned down. Then out of nowhere this massive dog went for my nose,” he told The Sun Online.
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“I couldn’t do anything about it except wrench my nose from its mouth.
“My nose was ripped to pieces – the cartilage and the tendon were minced to bits.
“There was a tooth mark indented right by my eye. The doctors said I was lucky not to have been blinded.”
Nottingham Justice Centre today heard how the attack happened after George’s girlfriend Aimee spotted Bronson and Matthews’ other bullmastiff, Nico, trampling on her plants in their communal garden.
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After shouting from her kitchen window for Matthews to get his dogs off her plants, he told her to mind her “own f***ing business”, said prosecutor Kevin Kavanagh.
Returning home to the drama, George stepped in to protect his girlfriend, with Matthews handing the giant dogs to his “petite” girlfriend.
Mr Kavanagh said Matthews should have known that his girlfriend would have not been able to control Bronson and Nico.
“There was then a kerfuffle. Both were on the ground. One of the dogs managed to break away and bit Mr Andrews on the nose.”
Matthews, 37, admitted two counts of assault and being in charge of a dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control.
He also admitted a separate charge of spitting at a police officer in December 2020.
Speaking after the court hearing, George told how he no longer looks in the mirror because he doesn’t want to see the scars on his face.
“I’m scarred for life. I feel disfigured. It has affected me more than I realised.”
Matthews, was handed a 26 week prison term, suspended for two years, and told to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work.
He must also pay £1,050 in compensation and court costs.
Dad-of-three Matthews sobbed as his dog was spared immediate destruction telling the court: “Thank you for not killing my dog.”
Bronson was spared after magistrates agreed the attack was “an isolated incident”.
Speaking at her home, Aimee and George said they did not want to see Bronson killed.
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Aimee, who was spat at in the face by Matthews during the row, said: “They are huge dogs. I think they are status symbols for Matthews.
“But they shouldn’t pay the price because of the actions of their owner. All I wanted him to do was take his dogs off my plants.”
