Brave pub punters deal with ‘small however highly effective’ flesh-chomping canine in ‘horrific assault’

Three people were left injured, including two of the pub heroes, after Jade Riley reportedly took the muzzle off her dog and headed towards assisted living accommodation

Pub goers have been given the nod for a bravery award after they put their lives on the line with a rampaging dangerous dog. Gary Tarling, Matt Nisevic and Wayne Phillips were in the Weddington Social Club in Nuneaton on July 1 last year when Jade Riley walked in with her American Bulldog.

She was asked to leave before she reportedly started damaging cars parked at the pub and on the nearby Weddington Road. The dog owner’s erratic behaviour attracted the attention of Mr Tarling, Mr Nisevic and Mr Phillips.

They claimed to have spotted her take the muzzle off her dog and put it in her jacket pocket before throwing her jacket on the floor. “I picked up the jacket and I saw the muzzle in it and said to the two other guys ‘hey, this is really bad, she has taken the muzzle off the dog and she is going up the drive towards a public area’. I said we need to follow her’,” Mr Tarling explained.

They found her in the front garden of an assisted living accommodation nearby. “That is when we intervened,” he explained.

“She managed to get in and we were looking through the glass through the door and there was a resident in there and the dog was ferociously barking at him. He was only a small guy.”

Weddington resident Gary forced his way in and managed to bundle the resident into the kitchen. He then barricaded them in.

But the dog went on to attack another resident inside the living accommodation – biting him on the arm. “When I realised what was going on, I had to intervene,” he said, adding that he went back into the hallway.

“That is when the dog attacked me, it bit my inner thigh, my stomach and my arm,” he said. “It was a horrific attack.”

Having witnessed what had happened, Mr Nisevic burst through the door and managed to get Riley and her dog out.

“I am pretty damn sure he saved my life” Mr Tarling said. “The dog bite on my thigh was very close to my femoral artery.”

But, the attack did not end there as the dog then bit Mr Nisevic on his right shoulder and thigh, and also Mr Phillips but he had thick clothing on and was, fortunately, unharmed.

The police arrived and had to try and restrain the dog as well as Riley. “The dog was quite small but it was so powerful,” Mr Tarling said. “I’d hate to think what could have happened.”

Mr Tarling was in hospital for four days and then, three weeks later, had to have an operation on his leg. It has left him with both physical and mental scars.

“People don’t know what really happened,” he said. “I honestly believe that if it wasn’t for the actions of everyone there it was highly likely this event could have escalated into a very significant incident and even potential fatalities.”

Riley was charged and admitted four counts of assaulting an emergency worker, three counts of being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control and one count of criminal damage. She appeared in Warwick Crown Court on Tuesday, March 4 for sentencing.

She had spent six months in custody while on remand. She given a two year suspended sentence, 150 hours community service and made to pay a fine. Riley was also banned from owning a dog for the next ten years.

In court, the judge praised both Mr Templar and Mr Nisevic for their bravery and nominated them for a Warwickshire High Sheriff award. “It was quite humbling really,” he said.

“It was a nice end to what has been a horrible story for everyone.” The pair are now awaiting to hear when they will receive their honour.

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