CONVICTED (2023) | backyard breeder Marcus Walsh, born 25 August 1982, of Plantation Close, Penydarren, Merthyr Tydfil CF47 9LN – owner/in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.

Convicted Class A drug dealer and prolific backyard breeder Marcus Walsh was not present when Rachel Millard was attacked by two XL bullies in Barry on March 20, 2022. She was left with puncture marks to her leg and finger, after placing herself over her puppy.

Ms Millard was walking along Coronation Street, Barry, with her boxer puppy when she saw two young girls open the front door of a house. One of the girls was screaming and the two dogs ran out of the property.

The victim described the dogs as “excited” as they ran straight at her and her 15-week-old puppy, saying they were “fixated and focused” and thought they were “running to attack”.

In order to protect her dog she dropped to the floor and wrapped her arms around her puppy as the XL bullies tried to get at the puppy under her arms.

One of the dogs managed to get hold of the puppy but Ms Millard shouted “No” which deterred the dogs. She was screaming out for help and people looked on but did not intervene, the court heard. The victim attempted to stand up but the dogs jumped up on her and pinned her down on the floor.

Prosecutor Roger Griffiths said the attack lasted around seven minutes until she was able to get up and run from the dogs, adding whichever way she ran, the dogs ran after her.

The woman was able to seek refuge after a work colleague called her name and invited her into her house, as others tried to get the dogs back in the property they came from.

Ms Millard and her partner were taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff by Walsh’s partner where she received treatment for injuries to her leg which bled on her jeans. There were seven puncture wounds to her left leg, a few inches above the ankle, and there were superficial cuts to her right index finger.

The puppy had superficial scratches and patches of bald fur.

After the incident, Walsh’s partner contacted Ms Millard and asked how she was. The defendant messaged apologising and told her not to ring the police.

He said: “Hiya love, so sorry this has happened. My daughter feels terrible for opening the door. Please don’t ring the police, I haven’t got the dogs now to stop them from being put down, it breaks my heart and the kids’. If you need help let us know.”

Walsh later attended her property bringing flowers and apologising, saying there was concern around him being on licence and having been banned from owning dogs. He said it was “pointless” contacting the police because the dogs had been given away.

Walsh attended a voluntary interview with police and made no comment. He later pleaded guilty to being the owner/in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.

The court heard Walsh has 121 previous convictions, including an identical offence in 2016 when a dog he owned named Otto injured a person trying to stop the dog from attacking his dog, resulting in puncture wounds to his hands and wrists, and a cracked rib.

This was Walsh’s second prosecution in relation to Otto. He was jailed for eight months in 2015 for affray after setting the dog on a former friend.

Walsh was disqualified from owning a dog for five years, and was still banned at the time of the latest offence. He was also on licence for an offence of supplying heroin in 2019, for which he was jailed for 49 months.

In mitigation, Victoria Maud said her client, a roofer, is a “hard working” man and was not present when the dogs escaped from his partner’s house. She said the animals acted “out of character” and said the incident “came out of nowhere”.

When asked by Judge Daniel Williams if Walsh would divulge the location of the dogs, Ms Maud said the defendant believes one of the dogs is being put down and the other dog is living with a friend in “the Valleys” and would be willing to find out the address. The judge said: “He’s had ample time to do that.”

Sentencing, Judge Williams said: “You claimed you were forced to look after the dogs after you were bullied into paying off a debt. The dogs produced a litter and puppies were sold.”

He said aggravating features included the defendant’s previous convictions, the fact there were two dogs, he was on licence and moved the dogs out of reach of the authorities to avoid them being destroyed.

Sentencing | 18 months’ imprisonment. Disqualified from having the custody of a dog for 10 years (expires October 2033).

Wales Online