Aaron Newsome and Caitlin Powell blamed their baby’s injuries on a stranger’s dog, but text messages revealed the truth
Aaron Newsome and Caitlin Powell blamed their baby’s injuries on a stranger’s dog, but text messages revealed the truth
A dad joked to his girlfriend that he “only needed to bring a one-legged sleep suit” for their 26-day-old son after their vicious French bulldog jumped up and “bit off” the infant’s toes. Parents Aaron Newsome, 24, and Caitlin Powell, 20, claimed their baby son had been attacked by an unknown dog at a bus stop when he appeared at Ormskirk Hospital on October 5 2023 – but medics were suspicious of this story, and alerted the police.
The couple’s lies were revealed after they were taken in for questioning. Newsome, of Evington in Skelmersdale, “became angry and irate on the suggestion [his] phone would be examined”, and a subsequent search revealed how the couple had invented the story.
In a message to Powell, Newsome wrote: “Stick to the story, you walked over the bridge by Lidl and it was the bus stop by the church.” He also joked that he “only needed to bring a one-legged sleep suit” for his son while he was in hospital.
The violent incident occurred on October 4 2023, one day before Caitlin Powell attended Ormskirk Hospital with her son. At Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday this week, January 13, it was heard the mum had “continued to insist the baby was bitten by a stranger’s dog”.
However, she eventually told police that the French bulldog, called Boss, “had jumped up and bitten the child while he was crying”, and that she had “panicked”. Newsome was not present at the time.
Also involved in the plan to cover up the attack was Caitlin Powell’s dad, 47-year-old Carl Powell, whom Caitlin and Newsome were living with in Southport along with five dogs, including Boss.
Carl Powell, now of Makin Street in Walton, told authorities he had received a call from his daughter “saying that his grandson’s toes had been bitten off”, and that he had taken them to hospital.
Text messages revealed discussions between Carl Powell and Newsome about Boss, with Carl Powell claiming he had “thrown him in the river”. But in further messages he said “someone was going to have him”, and it was later discovered he had given the French bulldog to a woman who had not been informed of the vicious attack.
The 26-day-old baby suffered injuries to his left toes which resulted in one toe being amputated. He remained in hospital for 12 days, and “appeared to be almost completely healed”.
Newsome, Carl Powell, and Caitlin Powell all pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice. Caitlyn Powell, of Wadham Road in Bootle, also pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, causing injury.
Newsome had no previous convictions, while Carl Powell, a dad-of-nine, had 24 convictions for several offences including driving offences, possession of an offensive weapon, cannabis production, and court order breaches.
Sentencing Newsome and Carl Powell at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, January 13, judge Gary Woodhall said:” I have no doubt that your actions were driven out of panic and shock and concern for your parenting positions.
“However your primary concerns should have been protecting this child – your son, your grandson – and ensuring the dog that had caused it didn’t pose a risk to the public.”
He said Carl Powell had acted “out of fear you would lose your daughter and that your grandson would be taken into social services”. Of Newsome, he said: “You say you panicked, you were scared of the response if you were deemed an unfit parent.
“You are single, you have ADHD and dyslexia and you have never worked. You have a traumatic childhood. You have been diagnosed with PTSD and you have no ongoing contact with [your son]. You have four children, no contact with at least three, and undertaking assessment for the youngest. You are assessed as being at low risk of reconviction.”
He sentenced Newsome to 12 months in prison, suspended for 15 months, and Carl Powell to 15 months in prison, also suspended for 15 months.
Caitlyn Powell returned to Liverpool crown court yesterday, January 15, for sentence. However, it was determined that the hearing could not go ahead as Boss’ current owner, Rebecca Cahill, could not be located – meaning the judge was unable to make either a destruction order or contingent destruction order under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Mr Cockerill said: “She was last seen, it seems, by her neighbours on Sunday (January 11). On January 8 she contacted the Crown Prosecution Service to ask when the next hearing for Boss was. He had replied quickly that same day, stating that she should be here for 10am on the day (January 13). It was quite a formal response telling her that she needed to be here. There wasn’t a reply to that email or acknowledgement.”
He said Ms Cahill was last seen on Sunday getting into a taxi, and had not been seen or heard from since. Mr Cockerill said: “I have emailed her directly trying to encourage her to make contact and come to court and that hasn’t been replied to. The CPS officer was, late last night, liaising with the police to try and make contact to see if the summons could be resolved.”
Judge Woodhill said: “The problem I have is once I proceed to sentence I have got to make a decision that involved whether the dog is put down. Therefore there is an immediate concern to me proceeding to sentence.” He added: “I want to make sure I make the right decision.”
Gaby McGrath, defending Caitlin Powell, said: “She has taken taxis to court frequently and it’s having a financial impact upon her and her mental health, anxiety and depression. There’s also impact in terms of the last-minute nature of the hearings that is having an impact on her appointments.”
Judge Woodhall adjourned Caitlin Powell’s sentence to February 4 2026, and indicated she would likely receive a suspended prison term. He said: “When Ms Cahill is either located or a summons is served, then I can pass sentence at a later date.”
