Frankie Macritchie dog attack death: Mum Tawnee Willis jailed
- Published
A mother who drank wine and took cocaine as her nine-year-old son was mauled to death by an "extremely powerful" dog has been jailed.
Frankie Macritchie was left alone inside a caravan with the 45kg (seven stone) American bull terrier cross, known as Winston, in April last year.
He suffered dozens of bite wounds when the "out of control" dog attacked him.
Tawnee Willis, 31, from Plymouth, admitted neglect and was jailed for two years.
Sentencing at Truro Crown Court, Judge Simon Carr said leaving the boy alone with the dog was "the height of folly".
Willis's friend, Sadie Totterdell, 29, from Plymouth, was jailed for three years and banned from having a dog for 10 years.
She admitted to owning the "dangerously out of control" bulldog.
Simon Laws, QC, prosecuting, said Frankie was left alone in a caravan at Tencreek Holiday park near Looe, with Winston, who had previously attacked another boy.
The adults in his group drank, smoked cannabis and took cocaine in another caravan, the court heard.
Willis went to check on him at around 04:30 - around two and a half hours after she had last seen him, Mr Laws said.
"She told the police that when she opened the door she could see a lot of blood on the floor and she could see Frankie lying still," the prosecutor said.
He said Frankie's Playstation was still switched on and, as he was known to play standing up, raising his voice, it was possible this "innocent behaviour may have had something to do with what happened".
The court heard Totterdell fled "in shock" and took Winston across the fields before catching a train with him to Plymouth where she was later arrested.
Winston was later seized by police and destroyed.
He said Frankie, who weighed 47kg - just 2kg more than the dog - died from blood loss after sustaining 54 injuries, with the most serious to his head and neck.
Deni Matthews, defending Willis, said she had failed in that "fundamental principle" of protecting her child and had developed PTSD as a result of what happened.
"It is clear that this lady is simply swallowed by grief and remorse," he said.
Ali Rafati, defending Totterdell, said leaving Winston with Frankie had been the "most awful error of judgement".
'The loss of Frankie is huge'
Frankie's grandmother Pauline Elford said Frankie, who was born with a heart problem, had been well-known on the campsite where he was attacked.
Ms Elford was on the site on the night he died and rushed to be by her grandson's side after the alarm was raised.
"When we opened the door the horrific scene that awaited us was unspeakable," she said.
"It was so heartbreaking to know what that boy had gone through that night.
"He was just so innocent and so vulnerable laid there."
Ms Elford said it was "unbelievable" that Frankie, the "sweetest, funniest, strongest, bravest little boy" had been left in that situation.
She said: "The loss of Frankie is huge, absolutely huge, certain family members won't recover and Frankie's daddy is a broken man."
Frankie's father Billy Macritchie, said he would forever miss his "brave soldier".
"All I know is my boy should be here loving life here with me," he said.
In a statement after the hearing, members of Frankie's family on his father's side said they would never forgive the women whose behaviour was "selfish beyond words".
They said: "Frankie was left alone to die in the most horrific way, beyond anyone's imagination".
- Published12 March 2020
- Published13 April 2019