Man given five-year jail sentence for allowing restricted dog breed maul a woman in Mayo

A MAYO man who allowed a restricted dog breed to viciously maul a woman has been jailed.

David Barrett, aged 41, of Ballymacredmond, Knockmore, also pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting two female gardaí in a separate incident.

Barrett was charged with assault causing harm after a Bullmastiff-Pitbull cross named ‘Diesel’ savagely attacked a woman as she and her child walked their own dog in the grounds of Mountfalcon House Estate near Ballina on November 20, 2022.

Sandra Killeen, of Tavanaghmore, Foxford, sustained several puncture wounds, intense bruising and severe lacerations to both arms, chest, back, right thigh and groin.

Surgeons told her she was lucky not to lose her left arm. She continues to have restricted mobility in the arm and ongoing nerve pain.

A previous court sitting was told that the Pitbull was unmuzzled and roaming loose in the wooded grounds. The animal started sniffing around and growling at Mrs. Killeen’s dog.

She picked up her own dog and was walking away when the Pitbull attacked. She told her nine-year old son to “run away” before she was viciously mauled.

In a victim impact statement to the court, she described the 'terrifying and traumatic' attack and said she feared for her life.

“The dog knocked me to the ground and proceeded to maul me. Despite trying to fight back, the dog was too strong for me. At one stage, weakened and overwhelmed, I looked up at the sky and truly believed I was going to die,” said Ms. Killeen.

Only the bravery of a passerby who fought off the dog with a stick and another man who managed to source a rope to control the animal prevented potentially fatal injuries.

The Pitbull, which has since been destroyed, was traced to Barrett.

Barrett, a father-of-three with 34 previous convictions, told the court he was minding the dog for somebody else and never wanted it at his home.

He apologised to Ms. Killeen.

The court later heard that an XL Bully called ‘Angel’ belonging to Barrett had to be destroyed after it bit a child.

Barrett also pleaded guilty to an assault on Garda Laura Shevlin and Garda Sharon Rooney on July 16, 2024, after they responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at his home.

When the officers arrived, Barrett emerged from his house and was roaring and shouting abuse. He swung the front gate towards the gardaí and then jumped the gate before charging at both gardaí.

He punched Garda Rooney twice in the chest and spat at her before lunging at Garda Shevlin, forcing the officers to deploy their pepper spray.

Barrett retreated to his home from where he proceeded to throw stones at gardaí. He later left the scene after additional gardaí arrived and presented himself at Ballina Garda Station two days later.

Garda Shevlin left An Garda Síochána after the incident and Garda Rooney has not yet returned to work.

The court heard Barrett has been in custody for the past 20 months.

“This man has an odd propensity to be surrounded by animals that are basically vicious,” commented Judge Eoin Garavan upon finalising the case.

“He clearly has an appalling attitude towards the guards,” the judge added.

Judge Garavan said dogs like the breed which attacked Ms. Killeen “should be completely banned”.

The judge handed down a five-year prison sentence, suspending the final year.

The sentence was backdated to reflect time already spent in custody.

* Funded under the Courts Reporting Scheme.