Dog walker mauled to death in park after she 'lost control' of the pack of eight animals

Natasha Johnston, who was "very comfy with dogs", was savagely mauled to decease successful Caterham, Surrey, and was discovered lying beneath a slope from a viewpoint

A coroner yesterday challenged a deficiency of dog walking regulations aft proceeding however a young pistillate was savagely mauled to decease by the dogs she was exercising.

Natasha Johnston, 28, was killed by an chartless fig of the 8 dogs she was walking connected January 12 past year, an inquest heard. Dr Ashley Fegan Earl, a forensic pathologist, told the coroner Ms Johnston died arsenic the effect of a canine onslaught and had aggregate injuries accordant with canine bites and claw marks.

Ms Johnston was recovered lying beneath a slope from the viewpoint successful Caterham, Surrey, pursuing the ferocious attack. Her origin of decease with fixed arsenic daze and haemorrhage including the perforation of the near jugular vein and aggregate penetrating canine bites to the neck, arms and torso.

Surrey coroner Richard Travers heard from Ms Johnston's member that she was "very comfy with dogs" and had antecedently walked the dogs earlier - with nary issues.

Sam Ogden, who was besides walking her canine successful the area, was bitten by 1 of Ms Johnston's dogs soon earlier the 28-year-old woman's death.

Michelle Clarke, who was riding her equine with a friend, was approached by 2 of the battalion of 8 dogs - which spooked her friend's equine and she subsequently fell to the floor.

The inquest successful Woking, Surrey, was told that Ben Kershaw, who was walking with his parent erstwhile helium recovered fatally injured Ms Johnston, noticed 2 oregon 3 dogs astir her body, with 2 having humor connected their snouts.

Mr Travers, speaking astatine the documentary inquest yesterday commended Mr Kershaw for his brave actions erstwhile approaching and attempting to assistance Ms Johnston. He said: "He persisted successful going guardant and did each helium perchance could. He acted precise bravely."

David Martin, a paramedic for South East Coast Ambulance Service, noted Ms Johnston was unresponsive, not breathing and had suffered profuse humor loss.

Police constable Christopher Hale, a Surrey Police canine handler, told the coroner determination were nary regulations regarding the walking of dogs astatine a nationalist level.

His statement, which was work by Coroner's Officer Jodie Gatenby, said: "At the clip of completing determination is nary nationalist regularisation oregon regularisation connected the fig of dogs idiosyncratic tin locomotion successful public."

Mr Travers expressed interest regarding this matter, and said that helium would contented a Prevention of Future Deaths Report regarding the deficiency of regularisation regarding fig and size of dogs that tin beryllium walked successful a nationalist place. He said this study would beryllium sent to the Secretary of State for the Home Office.

The coroner besides heard that Surrey County Council's canine walking codification of behaviour for walking dogs successful the countryside advised the walking of nary much than six dogs astatine 1 time.

Mr Travers said: "It would look determination is nary regularisation successful the fig and size of dogs that idiosyncratic tin locomotion successful a nationalist place. This is not a occupation constricted to Surrey - it appears to beryllium a nationalist issue."

Mr Travers concluded that Ms Johnston had died died arsenic a effect of a ample fig of wound wounds pursuing being attacked by an chartless fig of dogs - from the dogs she had been walking. He said that though Ms Johnston, of Croydon, southbound London, had power of the dogs initially, power was mislaid - "eventually with a tragic result."