A school cook has been fined after her XL bully bit the neck of her neighbour's Staffordshire bull terrier. Darrell Jones, 56, was taken to Newport Magistrates' Court after the attack left her terrified neighbour "shaking like a leaf".
Prosecutor Miquelle Groves said Jones' neighbour was playing with the Staffy at around 9.10am on October 1 last year in Commercial Road in Abercarn, Caerphilly county. "The complainant was throwing a ball to his dog Ebony outside his address," she said. "He had done this for several years and it was nothing abnormal. His neighbour Ms Jones' front door was open and there had been several previous issues with her dog.
"He saw the XL bully had its head out of the door. He was immediately concerned. Ebony was off its lead, returning the ball and not paying attention to the XL bully, which proceeded to grip Ebony by the back of the neck and upper shoulders. The XL bully shook Ebony very aggressively in its mouth. The complainant noticed the XL bully was off the lead and the owner was not in sight."
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The court heard Ebony's owner was "panicking" because of the "aggression" of the XL bully, known as Sky, and feared his dog would be killed. He picked up Ebony but Sky continued to be aggressive and he felt the XL bully was "more than capable of causing serious injury to both him and his dog".
Ms Groves added: "As it continued, the complainant noticed Ms Jones was standing at the bottom of her steps, appearing not to know what to do. A male at her property shouted 'kick it', which the complainant presumed meant to kick the XL bully away. The XL bully then returned to the owner, who did apologise. But the complainant said he shouldn't have to live in fear of what would happen due to her dog being dangerous. He was shaking like a leaf while going back into his home with his dog."
The attack did not cause any injuries but Jones was found guilty at trial of being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control. Her solicitor Andrew Costley said she had no previous convictions and that Sky was a "family dog". He added: "There was a lead and collar on Sky but it had snapped and the dog got out. It was over in seconds. The complainant did pick up Ebony, and Ms Jones' son came out and got Sky very, very, quickly."
Mr Costley described his client as a single mother whose adult children live with her. The defendant works as a cook at a local school but has been signed off due to a "terrible" arm injury, which means her income is set to be reduced from £2,000 to £1,000 a month, said her solicitor, who added that the court case has caused her "a great deal of anxiety and stress". For the latest court reports, sign up to our crime newsletter here
Since December it has been against the law to breed or pass on an XL bully, and since February it has been a criminal offence to own one without an exemption certificate. Jones' offence last October came after other XL bully attacks in Caerphilly county, including the tragedies that claimed the lives of 10-year-old Jack Lis and 83-year-old Shirley Patrick, and the mauling of a baby whose skull and cheekbone were fractured.
Presiding Justice Christine Farrington imposed a contingent destruction order meaning Jones' dog will be put down unless she keeps her muzzled and out of the presence of children under 16 while in public, as well as being microchipped, neutered, insured and placed on a register of exempt dogs. After the magistrate explained this, Jones replied: "I've already got her microchipped."
Ms Farrington went on: "And you understand what will happen if you don't do those things?" Jones said: "Yes... It was actually on a lead, in my defence." Her solicitor then quietly urged her to stop talking.
The magistrates imposed a fine of £115, a £46 victim services surcharge and a £400 contribution to the £650 trial costs. When WalesOnline approached Jones outside court and asked if her dog was a danger to others, she replied: "No, that's why police are letting me have her back... If I thought my dog was a danger, I wouldn't have had her." You can read more about the ban on XL bullies here.
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