Total Stranger Sucker Punches Dog Walker Because Dogs Weren't On A Lead

It was supposed to be an ordinary Tuesday for Jeanette Carroll, but had she known what was about to happen to her, she might have called in sick for the day.

The 51-year-old was near Flatts Lane Country Park in Middlesbrough with five dogs when she was approached by a stranger.

However, the interaction wasn't in the most casual of way. The man, whom Metro UK said to be “agitated,” brutally attacked Carroll and shouted, “Get those f---ing dogs on leads.”

As a result, Carroll, who walks dogs for a living, was knocked unconscious for about 20 seconds.

The Sun said that the victim tried to calm her assailant after he shouted, but it fell on deaf ears. Instead of calming down, the man landed a “savage punch” to Carroll's face.

“It was totally unexpected. I had gone over to reassure him, if people are nervous I will put the dogs on a lead,” she said.

A park ranger was also allegedly punched by the man after the former saw the altercation and went to intervene.

The Eston resident said that she didn't see the punch coming and the next thing that she remembered was waking up “covered in blood.”

Carroll was treated at the accident and emergency department of James Cook University Hospital where medics spent six hours tending to her wounds.

She also had her lip stitched and rewired three of her loose teeth.

“I was brought up with good morals and the last thing you would expect is a man hitting a woman,” pointed Carroll, who, after the incident is now afraid to continue her job as a dog walker.

Things went from bad to worse for Carroll when she claimed after contacting the police about “half a dozen times,” no officer had asked for her statement a week after the incident.

She also said that one officer was rude to her over the phone and considered it as “a letdown to the police.”

“It's unacceptable. I'm frustrated, I fell let down, I'm very, very anxious.”

Although Carroll admitted that she is “pro-police” and respects their work, she felt disgusted that no empathy was showed towards her when she felt nervous and anxious.

Carroll's attacker was described to be a bearded man in his 50s and stood around 5 feet, 11 inches tall.

Following the assault, a Cleveland Police spokesperson said that they have received reports about an incident on Flatts Tuesday at around 1:30 p.m.

The representative added that the suspect fled the scene and advised the victim “to get medical attention” to have her wounds treated.

Carroll was also told to call police back once this had happened.

“Police arranged for scenes of crime officers to photograph the victim's injuries the same day and crime details were recorded over the phone,” said the spokesperson.

An appointment was also scheduled for an officer to visit Carroll on September 25 to take a statement and enquiries are ongoing. The response, on the other hand, is always dependents “on the level of threat, harm and risk to the victim.”

“We are reviewing our response to this incident and any issues identified will be taken on board and any lessons will be learned.”