Kyra King: Parents of baby mauled by dog sentenced

Karen Alcock, left, and Vince King admitted being in charge of an out-of-control dog

A couple who kept huskies to compete in dog sled teams have been given suspended jail sentences after one of their dogs killed their baby daughter.

Three-month-old Kyra King was attacked on 6 March 2022 in Lincolnshire as her parents exercised 19 dogs in woods.

Her father Vince King, 55, and mother Karen Alcock, 41, admitted being in charge of an out-of-control dog.

The judge at Lincoln Crown Court said: "I have no doubt both of you wish every day you could wind the clock back."

King, of Castle Dyke Bank, New York, Lincolnshire, was given a 10-month sentence, suspended for two years, and 100 hours of unpaid work.

Alcock was sentenced to eight months, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work at the hearing on Monday.

The court heard the couple had been husky racing for several years, regularly trained with two teams of dogs and had competed nationally.

Social services had previously raised no concerns about the animals being around the baby.

Kyra King was attacked by a husky in the car park at Ostler's Plantation, near Woodhall Spa

On 6 March 2022 the couple were exercising King's huskies at Ostler's Plantation near Woodhall Spa at about 23:30 GMT, the court was told.

King and Alcock were giving some of the dogs a drink in their van before putting them back into their cages.

Kyra was asleep in her pram next to the open passenger door of the van.

The court heard that one of the dogs, a female Siberian Husky called Blizzard, jumped into the front of the van and out of the passenger door and mauled the child.

Both parents tried to resuscitate their daughter but she was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering "massive injuries," the court heard.

The dogs were usually secured in crates inside Mr King's van, the court heard

Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight said the couple's attempts to save their child would "undoubtedly haunt them for eternity".

She said Kyra was a "very much wanted and loved baby" and that the couple had put plans in place to keep their daughter and the dogs apart.

"There was nothing to trigger [Blizzard's] attack on Kyra, but on this occasion she was dangerously out of control," judge Sjolin Knight said.

"Dog ownership is a privilege and for many a pleasure, but it comes with a heavy burden under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

"[Blizzard] did an awful thing which neither of you expected and will weigh heavily upon you for the rest of your lives."

The judge questioned whether the attack could have been "reasonably foreseen" and said it was the result of a "tragic conjunction of circumstances".

'Senseless loss'

King and his former partner Alcock were not disqualified from keeping dogs, but an order was made for the destruction of the dog.

Det Con Craig Davey from Lincolnshire Police said: "What happened to that three-month-old baby girl is something that will haunt all of us involved in this investigation, and the wider public who have been so invested in justice for Kyra, as well as her parents, forever.

"Today's sentencing brings justice for Kyra, but I think I could speak for everyone when I say that the sadness at such a senseless loss will remain."