Girl left traumatised after dog bite gets €15k damages

An 11-year-old schoolgirl, who was left traumatised after being bitten on her right calf by a neighbour’s Bichon Frisé has been awarded €15,000 damages against the dog’s owners.

Circuit Court president Mr Justice Raymond Groarke said the dog, Misty, which had been “arrested” for several weeks by gardaí, should not have been allowed back in Ella Field’s apartment block, as she was terrified of it and had needed to readjust her life to avoid meeting Misty.

Judge Groarke said he was astonished that the possibility that Ella had been bitten by Misty had not crossed the mind of its owners, John and Anne Roche Kelly, who denied it ever happened.