DEL MIDGLEY FROM CASTLEFORD SENTENCED AFTER DOG ATTACK AND VIOLENT ASSAULT

Del Alan Midgley, a resident of Robin Hood Street in Castleford, has been convicted and sentenced for a series of violent offences that culminated in a brutal attack involving his dog and a man on June 30, 2023. Born around 1969, Midgley’s criminal history is extensive, with 48 previous convictions spanning 164 offences, including robbery, actual bodily harm (ABH), and affray.

On the day of the incident, Midgley lured a man to his home with the apparent intent to assault him. Armed with a baseball bat, Midgley swung at the man, who managed to wrestle the weapon away in an attempt to defend himself. Despite the struggle, the victim managed to escape from the premises and fled into the street, with Midgley in pursuit. The attacker continued to strike the man with the bat as he tried to get away.

During the chaos, Midgley’s dog, a Staffy, was released and allowed to attack the fleeing man. The dog mauled the victim for approximately 40 seconds, inflicting serious injuries, including a broken rib and a punctured lung caused by the bat attack, as well as lacerations to his skull and ears. The attack was so severe that the dog’s actions prompted immediate police intervention.

When police arrived at the scene, they found Midgley in a highly agitated state. He attempted to shut the door on officers as they entered, but they forcibly gained entry. Once inside, Midgley’s aggressive behaviour escalated; he allowed his dog to intimidate the officers, forcing them to withdraw temporarily. During the confrontation, Midgley jumped at one officer and bit her arm with such ferocity that it exposed the muscle beneath the skin. The officers responded by deploying a Taser to subdue him.

Despite being taken to hospital after claiming to have a heart condition, Midgley continued to be uncooperative and abusive. He racially abused two officers and attempted to bite them again. His behaviour further deteriorated when he urinated inside the police van, demonstrating a complete lack of control.

Midgley was held on remand following his arrest. He subsequently admitted to multiple charges, including section 20 GBH (causing grievous bodily harm), two counts of allowing a dangerous dog to cause serious injury, and two counts of racially aggravated harassment. The court ordered the destruction of the dog involved in the attack, which Midgley did not oppose. Additionally, he was handed a 17-year ban from keeping any animals.

During mitigation, solicitor Chloe Hudson stated that Midgley did not object to the euthanasia of the dog. She explained that on the day of the attack, Midgley had been heavily intoxicated. Regarding the dog’s loyalty, she remarked that Midgley should have intervened but failed to do so. Hudson also noted that Midgley was beginning to recognize that his offending could lead to further imprisonment. She highlighted that there was a long-standing, often strained relationship between Midgley and the victim, acknowledging that mutual dislike did not justify the violence that occurred.

Hudson further revealed that Midgley was currently undergoing drug counselling in prison and was enrolling in courses aimed at self-improvement. The judge, Recorder Marco Giuliani, sentenced Midgley to 45 months in prison for the violent offences, adding two months to an existing suspended sentence related to a driving offence. The court also imposed a 47-month custodial sentence for the non-animal welfare offences, along with the destruction order for the dog and a 17-year ban on keeping animals.