A young man in his twenties, from Hal in Flemish Brabant, was sentenced Monday by the Brussels Criminal Court to 75 hours of community service. His dog had attacked a four-year-old child in the face last year.
The facts occurred on June 14, 2021, in Elisabeth Park in Hal, in Flemish Brabant. The four-year-old boy was playing with his mother when he was attacked by an American Staffordshire terrier. The child’s mother tried to hold the animal back but it knocked her down and rushed at the little boy. He was then bitten several times in the face as the mother tried in vain to remove the animal from her child. It was only when the owner, a man in his twenties, intervened that the animal ceased its attack.
The victim, seriously injured, was taken to hospital and has since undergone several surgeries. “But a dozen other interventions will still be necessary”said the lawyer for the civil party. “The psychological damage is also significant. After the assault, the child became very anxious, started to wet the bed once more and ran away when he saw a dog”.
The public prosecutor had requested a four-month suspended prison sentence. The young master had himself asked for community service. The court granted his request by sentencing him to 75 hours.