Man charged over fatal dog attack on pensioner

Darren Pritchard will appear at Dudley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Lucille Downer died after being attacked by two American bulldogs in the back garden of her home in Rowley Regis, near Birmingham, in April 2021 (West Midlands Police/PA) (PA Media)

A man has been charged after an elderly woman was killed in a dog attack.

Lucille Downer, 85, died after being attacked by two American bulldogs in the back garden of her home in Boundary Avenue, Rowley Regis, near Birmingham, on April 2 2021.

West Midlands Police said at the time that Ms Downer suffered “multiple” injuries in the “sustained” attack 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”.

Darren Pritchard, 44, has now been charged with being the owner or person in charge of two dogs dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death, police said on Monday.

Pritchard, of Merrivale Road, Smethwick, has also been charged with possession with intent to supply cannabis, and production of cannabis, and will appear at Dudley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

The dogs were humanely destroyed after the incident.