Drug dealer admits owning bulldogs that killed pensioner during ‘horrific’ attack in back garden

Lucille Downer, 85, was killed by two American bulldogs who escaped through a hole in the fence

Darren Pritchard arriving at Wolverhampton Crown Court (PA)

A drug dealer has admitted being in charge of two American bulldogs which killed an 85-year-old pensioner.

Lucille Downer, 85, was violently attacked by the two dogs after they escaped through a hole in the fence into the garden of her home in Rowley Regis, near Birmingham.

Darren Pritchard pleaded guilty on Tuesday to an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act at Wolverhampton Crown Court and has been warned he is likely to be jailed when he is sentenced on May 15.

Lucille Downer, 85, was identified as the victim of the fatal dog attack in Rowley Regis near Birmingham (West Midlands Police)

He also pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis with intent to supply and producing the drug at an address in the street where Mrs Downer was killed.

The 44-year-old, of Smethwick, West Midlands, was allowed more than two hours to speak to his barrister outside the courtroom before admitting a charge stating that he was the owner or in charge of two dogs which were “dangerously out of control” causing injury, resulting in the death of Mrs Downer at her home.

Mrs Downer, a retired cook, was pronounced dead at the scene on 2 April 2021.

West Midlands Police said at the time that Mrs Downer suffered “multiple” injuries after the dogs escaped from a neighbouring property through a hole in a fence, with her family saying in a statement that they would “miss her dearly”.

They added: “Lucille was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who spent her working years as a cook at Bromford House Care Home in West Bromwich.

“Lucille was born in Jamaica and emigrated to the UK in her early 20s. Since arriving in the UK, Rowley Regis has always been her home.”

Flowers are laid at the scene where Ms Downer died (PA)

During a brief hearing before Judge Michael Chambers KC, Pritchard spoke only to confirm his name and his guilty pleas.

Granting Pritchard conditional bail, Judge Chambers told him: “You have had the courage to plead guilty to these matters and you will get appropriate credit (for pleading guilty) in due course.

“But they are clearly serious matters which cross the custodial threshold so you should be under no illusion as to the likely sentence.”

The facts of the case were not opened by prosecutor Howard Searle during the hearing, which was told Pritchard had been “out of trouble since 2013” at the time of Mrs Downer’s death.

Police have said the dogs were humanely destroyed after the incident. An inquest held previously was told Mrs Downer was found in her back garden.

A forensic post-mortem examination was carried out and the medical cause of death was found to be a neck injury caused by a dog bite.