The parents of three-year-old Daniel Twigg, who was savagely mauled to death by two 50kg mastiff-type dogs, are facing jail after being convicted over the horrific attack at a Rochdale farm.
Mark Twigg and Joanne Bedford were found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter following their trial at Manchester Crown Court. However, the couple were convicted of being in charge of a dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control – an offence that carries a potential prison sentence.
Little Daniel was killed on 15 May 2022 after he wandered unsupervised into a pen containing two massive dogs called Sid and Tiny at a farm in Tunshill Lane, Milnrow. The animals, described in court as “not pets”, were used for breeding and as guard dogs on the property owned by Daniel’s godfather Matthew Brown.
‘Untrained Guard Dogs’ in Squalid Conditions
Manchester Crown Court heard that Twigg and Bedford were responsible for eight or nine “untrained guard dogs” that were “difficult to control” at the farm. The couple had moved into the property with Daniel to tend to the animals after owner Brown was recalled to prison.
The dogs, which included breeds such as Cane Corso, American Bulldog, German Shepherd, Tibetan Mastiff and Boerboel, were kept in what prosecutors described as an “extremely unclean and impoverished environment, with no clean bedding and surrounded by their own faeces.”
The court was told the animals were not let out for exercise and there had been previous instances of attacks before Daniel’s death. Despite warnings from the RSPCA that the dogs posed a danger, the parents allegedly allowed their young son to enter the pen “alone and unsupervised.”
Fatal Attack Captured on CCTV
CCTV footage showed Daniel entering the dog pen on the morning of 15 May 2022. The enclosure was secured only with “a sliding latch and a Carabiner clip” rather than a proper lock, the jury heard.
Prosecutor John Elvidge KC told the court that Daniel was left unsupervised with the dogs for at least 15 minutes before they attacked him. The toddler suffered “severe damage” to his neck and “massive internal and likely plentiful external bleeding” in the savage mauling.
Bedford, who was seven months pregnant at the time, claimed she had left Daniel in the kitchen with his older sister whilst she went upstairs to get shorts for him and use the bathroom. She told the court she heard a “blood-curdling scream” from her daughter, who cried out: “Mum, mum, Daniel’s in the [dog] pen. He is face down and he’s got blood everywhere.”
Mother’s Desperate Rescue Attempt
The mother described rushing to the pen and shoving the massive dogs out of the way to reach her son. “I sat down on the floor with Daniel and asked his sister to get my phone so I could call for an ambulance,” Bedford told the court.
“Daniel was face down on the floor, he had gotten puncture marks all over his neck and he was bleeding. I was petrified and scared for my little boy.”
The court heard that a 999 call was made by Daniel’s mother almost 20 minutes after he was found inside the dog pen. When paramedics arrived, police were forced to use riot shields to protect them from the two killer dogs, which were later humanely destroyed.
PC Bethany Justice, one of the first emergency service workers at the scene, told the trial that Bedford was “hysterical” when they arrived. “She was screaming ‘my baby, my baby’,” the officer testified.
Family’s ‘Long Association’ with Farm
The court was told that Twigg and Bedford had a “long association” with the farm where Twigg worked as an “odd job man. The couple’s connection to the property and their role in caring for the dangerous animals formed a key part of the prosecution case.
Prosecutor John Elvidge KC noted that Bedford “failed to give the police any account for leaving Daniel unsupervised for so long” when questioned about the circumstances leading to the attack.
The trial heard that ambulance crews arriving at the scene were confronted by several caged dogs barking and jumping, as well as a Staffordshire bull terrier on the property, highlighting the dangerous environment in which young Daniel had been living.
Tributes to ‘Happy, Kind’ Boy
Following Daniel’s death, his family paid tribute to their “happy, kind and caring little boy”, saying he was “loved by everyone. In a statement, they said: “He loved Paw Patrol and playing with his brother and sister, he also loved being around animals – especially his pony, Splash.
“He brought us many laughs and was a comical character. He was brave, intelligent and full of many characteristics. Daniel loved being with his whole family and will be missed by all.
The case has raised serious questions about the keeping of dangerous dogs in domestic settings and the responsibilities of adults caring for young children around such animals. Both parents now face sentencing for their conviction on the dangerous dogs charge, which could result in imprisonment.
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