Man appears in court after great-gran, 85, mauled to death by two dogs in back garden

A MAN has appeared in court after a great-gran was mauled to death by two dogs.

Lucille Downer, 85, was killed in her back garden by the American bulldogs in Rowley Regis, West Midlands.

Darren Pritchard, 44, has now been charged with two counts of having two dogs dangerously out of control.

He is also charged with possessing cannabis with intent to supply and producing the drug at an address in the street where Lucille was declared dead.

Pritchard appeared at Dudley Magistrates' Court today where he spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address.

Police were scrambled to Lucille's home on April 2, 2021, after she suffered "multiple" injuries.

Officers confirmed the dogs had escaped from a neighbouring property through a hole in a fence.

Retired cook Lucille tragically couldn't be saved and was declared dead at the scene in Boundary Avenue.

A post-mortem gave her cause of death as a neck injury caused by a dog bite.

Both the animals were humanely destroyed following the horror.

Pritchard was bailed on the condition he lives and sleeps at his home address, does not attend Boundary Avenue and does not contact witnesses.

He will next appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on April 18.

Paying tribute to Lucille following her death, her family said: "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 and her family will miss her dearly."