Riot shields used against dogs after boy, 3, killed

Daniel Twigg died in May 2022 on the farm in Rochdale

Police had to use riot shields to protect paramedics from two dogs as they desperately tried to save a three-year-old boy who was mauled to death, a court has heard.

Daniel Twigg was attacked after letting himself into a fenced yard where the two dogs - described as being large mastiffs - were kept on Carr Farm, Rochdale, on 15 May 2022. He died from injuries including bites to the neck.

His parents Joanne Bedford and Mark Twigg have denied gross negligence manslaughter and offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

PC Bethany Justice, who was one of the first emergency service workers at the scene, told their trial Ms Bedford was "hysterical" when they arrived.

"She was screaming 'my baby, by baby'," PC Justice told the hearing at Manchester Crown Court.

In footage from the officer's bodyworn camera, when asked about what happened, Ms Bedford was heard saying: "We were all out in the garden. Daniel went in the yard and when we heard the dogs we went in there straight away."

John Elvidge KC, for the prosecution, earlier told the jury Daniel was left unsupervised with the dogs for at least 15 minutes, and that Ms Bedford "failed to give the police any account for leaving Daniel unsupervised for so long".

Jurors were told when ambulance crews arrived at the house they were confronted by several caged dogs barking and jumping as well as a Staffordshire bull terrier on the loose.

PC Justice said police officers made a "protective wall with riot shields" around paramedics as they treated Daniel.

'Aggressive' dogs

Daniel's family had moved to the farm in March 2022 to look after the property and several dogs who belonged to the farm's owner, Matthew Brown, the court has heard.

There were 12 dogs on the property in total who the court heard were "aggressive" and living in squalid conditions.

In a statement read to the court, senior paramedic Joseph O'Leary said when he arrived he could hear "screaming and crying".

He said: "Daniel was laying on his back on a stone bench.

"He was not breathing and had multiple wounds to his neck, which were difficult to pack with dressing or put pressure on."

The court heard paramedics were able to twice restart Daniel's heart on the journey to hospital but he was in cardiac arrest by the time they arrived.

Doctors made the decision to end resuscitation efforts about 20 minutes later.

The trial continues.