Police said Michelle Louise Simpson (aka Michelle Giblet), 50, was the owner of two Staffordshire Pit Bull Terriers which seriously injured the girl in September when she was playing in bushland at Success Hill Reserve.
Nine News reported the woman said: " If you see my dogs coming make sure you stand up."
The group said they were confused as to what she meant at the time.
Minutes later the two dogs pinned the girl to the ground.
The girl suffered serious face and leg lacerations, exposing tendons.
The parents of the little girl told Nine News that the owner of the dogs – Michelle Giblet – told their daughter to stop screaming and stay still during the attack.
They said she did nothing to help during the horrifying ordeal.
The court heard the dogs, which have since been euthanized, were not on a leash at the time of the attack.
Police prosecutors said it was the first time a charge such as unlawful wounding had been laid over a dog attack, and pushed for the case to go to a higher jurisdiction.
However, Simpson's lawyer Terry Dobson rejected the claim, and asked for the case to remain in the Magistrates Court.
"This doesn't need to take up District Court time, or the time of 13 or so people," Mr Dobson said.
Magistrate Greg Benn was unconvinced, saying both the incident and injuries were of a very serious nature, and the magistrates court could not adequately punish Ms Simpson if she was convicted.
He referred the case to the District Court.
The matter will continue in February.
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| The two dogs when they were younger |
Note: Nine News identified the pit bull owner as Michelle Giblet, which is the name I used in the September 2016 post. However, now they're identifying her as Michelle Simpson.
(ABC Online - Nov 25, 2016)
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