Home   News   National   Article

Man charged over fatal dog attack on pensioner


By PA News

Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!

A man has been charged after an elderly woman was killed in a dog attack.

Lucille Downer, 85, died after being attacked by two American bulldogs in the back garden of her home in Boundary Avenue, Rowley Regis, near Birmingham, on April 2 2021.

West Midlands Police said at the time that Ms Downer suffered “multiple” injuries in the “sustained” attack after the dogs escaped from a neighbouring property through a hole in a fence, with her family saying in a statement that they would “miss her dearly”.

Several tributes were left at the scene following the attack on Lucille Downer, including one which said ‘RIP Nan’ (Jacob King/PA)
Several tributes were left at the scene following the attack on Lucille Downer, including one which said ‘RIP Nan’ (Jacob King/PA)

Darren Pritchard, 44, has now been charged with being the owner or person in charge of two dogs dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death, police said on Monday.

Pritchard, of Merrivale Road, Smethwick, has also been charged with possession with intent to supply cannabis, and production of cannabis, and will appear at Dudley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

The dogs were humanely destroyed after the incident.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.

Keep up-to-date with important news from your community, and access exclusive, subscriber only content online. Read a copy of your favourite newspaper on any device via the HNM App.

Learn more


This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More