"It's literally going to kill him": Doncaster mum speaks out after son injured in dog attack
5 year old Roman needed surgery after being mauled by an XL Bully last week
Last updated 10th Nov 2025
A South Yorkshire mum has spoken of the moment she thought her 5 year old son was going to die, after he was attacked by an XL Bully dog in a park last week.
Mum of three Joanne Goffey, from Doncaster, was with son Roman in a park on Schofield Street in Mexborough when the incident happened last Thursday afternoon.
Speaking to Hits Radio South Yorkshire, Joanne said: "Literally, he was happy skipping home from school."
"They'd just had their Halloween disco the day after bonfire night. We were coming down the path that we usually come down..."
"There was this man and his dog, like this big mean, really big looking dog. Straight away, as soon as Roman's on the other side of (a) little gate, the dog has just like looked at him."
"It's done like this growl and then a bark, like its stance completely changed."
"I literally said to Roman, like, do not run. And then before I knew it, like it was all so, quick."
"This dog has just come running at him. Roman's ran kind of in a semi-circle and then the dogs just jumped up straight in for the kill, grabbed him by the face with its mouth, took him to the floor and it was just on him."
"It was awful. It was honestly horrific...."
"...I couldn't see his face and I was thinking, my God, like it's going to kill him."
"It's literally going to kill him. So it was just like a case of like, I don't know how I managed to do it."
"I don't know. I just managed to get him, scoop him up once the dog got off him and then just take him to the other side of the other side of the fence and then just call 999."
Roman suffered serious injuries to his face and has since undergone surgery which could leave permanent scarring.
Joanne told us: "He was absolutely shell-shocked. He's autistic, but he is like the most happiest, bright (boy). He's got like the quirkiest little personality, like he's a proper fun."
"He was absolutely shell-shocked, silent."
"I wasn't expecting any police whatsoever. I was just expecting an ambulance to come. And then obviously there was taser police, there was armed police, there was literally everything. "
"These officers like accompanied us in the ambulance and then they stayed with us for hours in the hospital."
"(Roman's) had to have CSI come out and take photos of his injuries. He's still got to do statements and things. He's been a trooper through the whole thing."
A 29 year old man, the dog's owner has been questioned on suspicion of owning a dog dangerously out of control and bailed.
The dog involved has been seized and remains in police kennels.
It's just the latest incident involving a dog in South Yorkshire, with South Yorkshire Police issuing a warning after another child was attacked just last month.
"I've been thinking literally all day. I've sent my boy to school today, but when in reality I could have been sat here planning funeral plans today" Joanne said.
"Do you know what I mean? It's, I've got a lump in my throat. It's unluckily lucky."