The owner of three dogs, including a banned American Pitbull Terrier, who mauled a woman in a park has been pictured for the first time.
Lakaydia Reynolds, 24, was walking through Abbots Park in Lambeth, south London, when Darren Massey’s dogs set upon her.
Ms Reynolds was left needing plastic surgery after the incident on June 6, which saw her pinned to the ground as the dogs bit and scratched her face, legs and arm.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Ms Reynolds revealed she was still in ‘excruciating pain’ after receiving nerve damage to her arm, and that she is unable to feel or move half of the limb.
Now, Massey, 27, has been seen attending Croydon Magistrates Court today where he admitted one count of owning a dangerous dog.
Pictured: Darren Massey speaks on the phone outside of Croydon Magistrates Court
Footage of the attack was later posted online, with video showing one dog jumping up and tearing into her arm
At one point the dog held on to her arm for more than 30 seconds as she desperately tried to pull away. She has since been told she has nerve damage in the limb
Massey was due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey last month but the hearing was adjourned for technical reasons.
The prosecution is trying to decide whether he should be charged with three counts of owning a dangerous dog or just one.
The terrifying attack, which took place in broad daylight, was seen by a passerby who filmed it. The video was later posted online.
Ms Reynolds was hospitalised for a week and she required plastic surgery and nerve damage to her lip.
She lost the use of her right arm and was unable to play rugby or her violin.
It is unclear which dogs actually caused injury to Ms Reynolds but one of them has been put down.
Massey earlier told the court: ‘[The dogs] have been confiscated. One of them has been put down.’
He was bailed to appear back at Croydon Magistrates Court on 29 May.
In October last year Ms Reynolds told the BBC: ‘It turned out to be the worst day of my entire life.
Mr Massey’s three dogs mauled a woman, 24, in a park and left her with horrific injuries that needed plastic surgery
‘I was screaming, asking for help, asking him for help.
‘It was just me against these three dogs. The owner himself actually started asking for help, which made me even more scared.
‘I thought, if he can’t control his dogs, then who can?
‘I had to loosen my hoodie and take my hoodie off, and tear my arm out of the dog’s mouth.
‘If I didn’t get away within the split second that I did, I knew those dogs were going to kill me.
‘I’ve been impacted mentally, socially, emotionally and physically,’ she added.
‘One of the most difficult things for me is the fact that I can’t do anything myself, so I have to rely on people to help me.’
She told the BBC that her full prognosis would only be known in 18 months, as that is the length of time it usually takes for nerve damage to heal.
