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

A coroner yesterday challenged a lack of walking regulations after hearing how a young woman was savagely by the she was exercising.

Natasha Johnston, 28, was killed by an unknown number of the eight dogs she was walking on January 12 last year, an heard. Dr Ashley Fegan Earl, a forensic pathologist, told the coroner Ms Johnston died as the consequence of a dog attack and had multiple injuries consistent with dog bites and claw marks.

Ms Johnston was found lying below a slope from the viewpoint in Caterham, Surrey, following the ferocious attack. Her cause of death with given as shock and haemorrhage including the perforation of the left jugular vein and multiple penetrating dog bites to the neck, arms and torso.

Surrey coroner Richard Travers heard from Ms Johnston's brother that she was "very comfortable with dogs" and had previously walked the dogs before - with no issues.

Sam Ogden, who was also walking her dog in the area, was bitten by one of Ms Johnston's dogs shortly before the 28-year-old woman's death.

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Michelle Clarke, who was riding her horse with a friend, was approached by two of the pack of eight dogs - which spooked her friend's horse and she subsequently fell to the floor.

The inquest in Woking, Surrey, was told that Ben Kershaw, who was walking with his mother when he found fatally injured Ms Johnston, noticed two or three dogs around her body, with two having blood on their snouts.

Mr Travers, speaking at the documentary inquest yesterday commended Mr Kershaw for his brave actions when approaching and attempting to assist Ms Johnston. He said: "He persisted in going forward and did all he possibly could. He acted very bravely."

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

Police constable Christopher Hale, a dog handler, told the coroner there were no regulations regarding the walking of dogs at a national level.

His statement, which was read by Coroner's Officer Jodie Gatenby, said: "At the time of completing there is no national regulation or restriction on the number of dogs someone can walk in public."

Mr Travers expressed concern regarding this matter, and said that he would issue a Prevention of Future Deaths Report regarding the lack of regulation regarding number and size of dogs that can be walked in a public place. He said this report would be sent to the Secretary of State for the Home Office.

The coroner also heard that Surrey County Council's dog walking code of conduct for walking dogs in the countryside advised the walking of no more than six dogs at one time.

Mr Travers said: "It would appear there is no restriction in the number and size of dogs that someone can walk in a public place. This is not a problem limited to Surrey - it appears to be a national issue."

Mr Travers concluded that Ms Johnston had died died as a result of a large number of bite wounds following being attacked by an unknown number of dogs - from the dogs she had been walking. He said that although Ms Johnston, of Croydon, south London, had control of the dogs initially, control was lost - "eventually with a tragic result."