The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE owner of three Pit Bulls that attacked a woman earlier this year was fined $3,150 in the Magistrate's Court on Friday and the dogs were ordered to be “put down.”

Jason Barr, 44, was ordered to pay the thousand dollar fine after he admitted that three Pit Bull dogs of which he had charge attacked and injured Casmena Gardiner on February 21. During the hearing before Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux, Barr also admitted that he allowed the ferocious dogs to "be at large" on the day in question.

According to initial police reports, shortly after 3pm on the day of the incident, Ms Gardiner was walking to her vehicle on Sequoia Street when she was attacked and bitten about her body by the dogs.

At the time, an ambulance took her to hospital where she was listed in stable, but serious condition.

On Friday, the court was told that officers received a call about a woman being attacked and bitten by dogs. When they arrived at the scene, they saw the victim being taken away by EMS after receiving multiple bites on her body and face. According to the prosecution, Animal Control was also present and confiscated the three Pit Bulls. Sometime around 3.40pm, the dogs' owner, Jason Barr, was arrested in connection with the attack. He admitted to the offences brought against him in an interview with police.

When given an opportunity to speak during the hearing, Barr told the magistrate he wanted to apologise for the actions of his dogs. He also claimed that he thought they had been secured, but that appeared not to be the case. Barr also said he was at work when he got a call telling him his dogs had attacked his neighbour. He said he went "straight" to the scene on receiving the news.

As a result, Magistrate Turnquest-Deveaux fined Barr $3,000 or one year at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services on count one and another $150 or a year at BDCS on count two. She also ordered that the dogs be put down.