All is forgiven after owner of vicious dogs sentenced

Some of Saydee Robinson's scars are visible while others run far deeper; but she has forgiven the owner of the two dogs that mauled her and was happy with the court sentence handed down to him yesterday.
Paul Roberts, 26, of Hastings, appeared in the Hastings District Court yesterday to be sentenced on two charges of owning a dog that attacked and caused serious injury.
Ms Robinson was walking along Ramsey Crescent on February 2 when she saw two dogs in the garden of a house growling and snarling.
She moved onto the grass verge, but the dogs ran out of the property attacking her and leaving her with severe bruising and lacerations.
Judge Geoff Rea commended Roberts on his behaviour since the attack including his sincerity in asking for forgiveness from the victim.
He compared his behaviour favourably with that of the owners of the dog that two years ago mauled Auckland youngster Carolina Anderson, leaving her with horrific facial injuries.
"I believe I have done everything you could have after this happened," he said. "You did not lie, you fronted up, agreed to have the dogs destroyed and helped with the investigation."
Judge Rea said he needed to consider not only what had happened to Ms Robinson, but the danger that the dogs had posed to the community.
He sentenced Roberts to 175 hours community work and ordered him to pay $1100 in reparation.
Ms Robinson said she was pleased that Roberts had not been sent to prison but had not expected to be receiving reparation payments.
"I just wanted him to take responsibility," she said. The attack has left her with scars and she says she doesn't walk as often as she used to because she fears a similar attack.
"I hop in my car, get my friends to pick me up or I just stay at home," she said.
However, the 23-year-old is back working at a packhouse and life has "got back to normal".
Roberts was pleased not to be sentenced to a term of imprisonment and his remorse for his dogs' behaviour was still evident.
He said he was disappointed his two dogs Tyler and Girl, were responsible for the attack. They had been family pets and Roberts had not been able tell his and his partner's children that the dogs had been destroyed.
"They used to sleep with the kids. They were the laziest dogs," he said.
"They were timid dogs; I just don't understand why they did it."
Roberts joked that the dogs watched so much TV they would have known "what was on Shortland Street".
Roberts regretted not repairing the broken gates at the Ramsey Street house where the attack happened. One of the dogs had been locked inside the house and had got out through a window.
The attack has not put Roberts off owning dogs but for the moment he is sticking with goldfish.