Court

DOG MAULING SPECIAL REPORT:
Wannabe Rapper Convicted In Dog Mauling Case
Weds 4th July 2012 , Yellow Advertiser

A WANNABE rapper whose dog mauled a seven-year-old boy has lost a legal bid to decrease his sentence and been jailed over the incident.

Rowan Diedrick, whose rap name is Re3l Devious - took two Rottweilers onto a beach with a strict 'no dogs' rule last August and let them off of their leashes.

One of the dogs - a four-year-old male called Sizzler - ran into the sea and pounced on the child, who was playing with his grandmother.

The boy was left with life-changing injuries.

A dry-liner by day, Diedrick, 29, of Avenue Road, London, N14, fled the beach on Eastern Esplanade and only became known to police when his mother turned him in after a police appeal.

He pleaded guilty to possessing a dog which was dangerously out of control, but claimed he had run into the sea to save the boy and said he only left the scene because he was threatened by a group of males.

Prosecutor Samantha Lowther dismissed Diedrick's explanation as 'nonsense'.

A 'Newton hearing' was convened at Basildon Crown Court last Monday and Tuesday so Judge Owen Davies QC could determine the truth.

The judge heard testimony from the boy's grandparents and two eyewitnesses, all of whom said that Diedrick had never entered the water.

CCTV and witness testimony also refuted Diedrick's claim that he had been threatened.

He claimed in a police interview that six white males had run into the water after him and used threatening language, but CCTV showed that he was lying.

In court, Diedrick changed his story and said he had been chased by two men after he exited the area covered by the CCTV.

Prosecutor Samantha Lowther said: “This is just an excuse that you've come up with to get yourself out of trouble, isn't it? You're making it up as your go along, Mr Diedrick, aren't you?”

Describing the eyewitnesses as 'credible', 'honest' and 'reliable', she told the judge: “The defendant has given inconsistent accounts, not supported by the video footage.”

In an early indication that the judge did not believe Diedrick's story, he responded to Mrs Lowther: “I wasn't born yesterday.”

The judge ruled that Diedrick had fabricated his account, telling the court: “I have no hesitation in rejecting it. I have no doubt at all that the accused has invented, in order to diminish his blame for the incident, a number of matters which simply did not take place.”

He sentenced Diedrick to 16 months in prison, of which eight will be served in custody.

He also ordered for the dog to be destroyed and banned Diedrick from owning a dog for 10 years.

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