Grandfather of girl killed by dogs suffers double loss

A MAN was charged last night with attacking the grandfather of a baby who had been mauled to death by rottweilers, and of killing the victim’s partner.

The 26-year-old will appear before magistrates today charged with murdering Debra Larn and assaulting John Brightwell, in Leicester, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The incident happened just hours after Mr Brightwell’s grandchild, five-month-old Cadey-Lee Deacon, was killed by guard dogs at a pub in the city. Police said they were not linking the two incidents.

Last night, Cadey-Lee’s grief-stricken family spoke for the first time about their loss.

In a statement issued through Leicestershire Constabulary, Cadey-Lee’s mother, Amy Deacon, and her partner, Lee Burchell, said: “Words cannot express our devastation at what has happened. We just cannot believe that Cadey-Lee is gone.

“She was such a beautiful little girl. We loved her so much and we just can’t accept that something like this could have happened. How do you come to terms with such a tragedy?”

The double weekend tragedy left the family reeling.

Cadey-Lee was savaged by the dogs — which were later destroyed — at about 4pm on Saturday, at The Rocket public house, in New Parks.

At about 2.30am on Sunday, the father of Cadey-Lee’s natural father, and the former’s partner, were attacked at their home in the city.

Cadey-Lee’s father, Ryan Brightwell, was not available for comment.

But his 17-year-old cousin, Natalie Brightwell, said: “Two tragedies in a few days — it’s left us distraught.”

Cadey-Lee was staying at The Rocket, in Stephenson Drive, with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend. It is believed the boyfriend’s mother, who runs the pub, returned this weekend after a holiday.

Chief Superintendent Steve Pitts, of Leicestershire Constabulary, said the police priority was to provide support for Cadey-Lee’s family and to piece together the circumstances surrounding the attack.

“Lee’s mother Lesley is the licensee at The Rocket,” he said. “Amy and Lee, who is the manager of the pub, were moving furniture out of the living quarters to a new premises when tragedy struck on Saturday.

“It appears that a fire escape door was left mistakenly open and allowed the family’s dogs, Bruno and Bess, access to the living quarters. The dogs then made their way to the bedroom in which baby Cadey-Lee was sleeping.”