UNITED KINGDOM -- A Tadworth man endured months of pain and plastic surgery after he was mauled by his neighbor's three dangerous dogs "like a pack of wolves".
Guildford Crown Court heard how Malcolm Elliott had to take three months off work and undergo skin grafts after he was attacked by three dogs which had escaped from the house next door.
Karen Beams, 49, and her two sons Daniel, 21, and 24-year-old Matthew, appeared in court on March 6 charged with being the owners in charge of dogs which caused injury whilst dangerously out of control.
The trio, of Campion Drive in Tadworth, pleaded not guilty at a previous hearing but two hours into trial proceedings all three changed their pleas to guilty.
Prosecutor Richard Bendall said Mr Elliott was walking to work at around 7.40am on June 23 last year when he was approached by the Beams family's black Yorkshire terrier-poodle cross, Charlie, aged two, which was barking and running around him.
Then the second dog, Daisy, a five-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier-cross, joined in and was jumping up and down at Mr Elliott before the third dog, 18-month-old brown Staffordshire bull terrier, Tigs, also got involved.
The court heard how the dogs attacked him, biting his arms and legs as he tried to defend himself, before knocking him to the ground.
Mr Elliott, who lives at home with his mother and father, suffered six bite wounds plus puncture wounds to his arms and legs before one of the Beams brothers came out and pulled the dogs off him.
Mr Elliott's mother, Teresa, said the dogs were "barking and snarling like a pack of wolves" and several neighbours said they heard the commotion and saw all three dogs circling the man and biting him.
Mr Elliott, who was aged 42 at the time of the attack, said he was terrified and in a lot of pain. He was taken to St George's Hospital in London for treatment.
Mr Bendall said: "Malcolm was the victim of quite a sustained and vicious attack during which he received a whole catalogue of injuries."
The court heard how he was forced to take three months off work and undergo skin grafts.
In police interview the Beams' said one of the younger children had not shut the door properly and the dogs, now seized by officers, had got out into the street.
Jai Patel, defending, asked for pre-sentence reports for all three defendants and the case was adjourned until April 5 for sentencing.
The trio were released on bail.
(Get Surrey - March 07, 2013)
