A MOTHER-of-six whose dogs savaged a little boy and threw him into the air "like a rag doll" has been told she could go to jail.

Jacqueline Cox, 38, accepted responsibility for five of the seven animals involved in a horror pack attack on Sam Leverett, seven, as he walked from his home to some shops in Burnley on March 1.

The dogs have since been destroyed and Cox, who admitted she should have made sure they did not escape from her home, now faces a ban on keeping dogs in the future, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Sam, of Broughton Street, Burnley, suffered 80 wounds to his arms, legs and buttocks in the onslaught which lasted almost five minutes. His life was saved by passer-by Robert Ashworth, 56 and two teenage girls also helped during the drama by alerting the emergency services on their mobile phones.

Arthur Stuttard, prosecuting, described the case as serious and said the consequences were "quite horrific." He added: "Something like this should not happen again. All the dogs involved in the attack have now been put down."

Mr Stuttard added: "The court has powers in relation to the future ownership of dogs in the case of the defendant when she is sentenced."

He added Cox accepted responsibility as keeper of the five dogs.

Cox, now of Albion Street, Brierfield, but at the time living in Penistone Street, Burnley, admitted an aggravated offence of keeping a dog dangerously out of control. She acknowledged that she allowed the pack of dogs to be dangerously out of control on Whittlefield Recreation Ground, Burnley.

She had originally denied the offence but pleaded guilty on the day of trial. Allegations connected to the attack against her son John Ronald, 19, and daughter Mandy, 17, of the same address, were earlier dropped by the prosecution.

Cox was bailed until December 19, for a pre-sentence report and was bailed on condition she co-operates with the probation service. The defendant was warned by Judge Barbara Watson: "You should understand the fact you are having bail is no indication as to what might be the outcome when you are sentenced."

Philip Holden, defending, told the court she accepted she was living in a house and was responsible, with other adults there, for the dogs at the property. He added: "She should have ensured they did not escape into a nearby park."

Sam, a pupil of Whittlefield Primary in Burnley was first taken to Burnley General Hospital, then spent several days at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury and underwent surgery three times after the pack of dogs set on him.

Mr Ashworth, of Tunnel Street, Burnley, has told earlier how he saw Sam being thrown "like a rag doll," by the animals and how he dived in to fight them off.

Mr Ashworth later received a civic award from the then Mayor of Burnley Coun Gordon Birtwistle for his heroic rescue.

He was commended alongside schoolgirls Licia Cox and Hannah Sprowell, both 13, who rang for an ambulance.

Mr Ashworth has used his award to raise £500 for charity. He put it on display at Ighten Mount Bowling Club, together with an emotional account of the incident. Visitors to the club raised £200 for Coun Birtwistle's scanner appeal aimed at raising cash for vital equipment for Burnley General Hospital.

Carole Wolstenholme, a special needs co-ordinator at Burnley's Central Library, and friend of Mr Ashworth's also donated £300 to boost the fund.

A spokesman for the RSPCA said: "Anybody who owns a dog has a responsibility to keep it on its lead and under control.

"This is an example of the kind of tragedy that can occur if an animal isn't controlled properly.

"A minority of animals may attack in this way but nevertheless an owner knows their own dog and its nature and should ensure they keep it under control at all times."