Man mauled to death by dog 'on crack cocaine'

A dog suspected of eating crack cocaine mauled and killed his owner while the BBC filmed a documentary about drugs. Photo / 123RF

A dog that mauled its owner in front of BBC staff was likely to have taken crack cocaine, an inquest has heard. Mario Perivoitos, 41, died in March after losing 10 pints of blood and having his larynx crushed in the attack.

A BBC documentary crew witnessed, but didn't film, the attack while they were making a programme about drugs at the victim's home in Wood Green.

An inquest at North London's coroners' court heard the dog's behaviour could have been triggered by crack cocaine, the Telegraph reported.

Nicholas Carmichael, a veterinary toxicologist, said high levels of cocaine and morphine were found in the animal's urine.

"It is very likely that this dog had consumed drugs, probably eaten them," he said, according to Mail Online. "It is almost impossible to say whether that will make the dog attack, but it does make them respond abnormally.

"They become very excited and agitated. It is more likely that this attack happened because this dog had taken cocaine."

The BBC crew were at Perivoitos' home while filming Drugs Map of Great Britain when he began to have a seizure and the staffordshire bull terrier attacked him.

Pathologist Julie Higgins said Perivoitos' body "included injuries to the neck and face, with extensive haemorrhaging, and the larynx was crushed".

Programme producer Joshua Haddow managed to wrestle Major off his owner, but it was too late.

The inquest heard that Perivoitos died because of injuries inflicted by the dog.

Senior coroner Andrew Walker noted that the victim had taken cocaine before the attack.

"It is likely that he was experiencing an epileptic shock, which caused the dog to nip his face before biting his neck. The film crew telephoned an ambulance while attempting to get the dog off Mr Perivoitos," he said.

"It is likely that the dog had consumed cocaine by eating it and it is likely that this was an additional factor in the dog's behaviour. Mr Perivoitos suffered serious injuries and was taken to a major trauma hospital, and died shortly after midnight."