THE owner of an XL Bully dog which violently attacked a 12-year-old girl in a Gwent village has been jailed.
Justin Allison, 38, of Glyncoed, Ebbw Vale, was sentenced today (29 January) at Newport Crown Court.
In the early evening of 7 October last year, his unregistered XL Bully dog - which weighed between seven and eight stone 0 attacked the girl in Nantyglo.
The court was told that the victim heard shouting behind her, turned and saw the dog running towards her at great speed.
In her interview, she described the dog growling as it got closer to her, so she ran to her dad.
His honour, Judge Daniels Williams, addressing the defendant, said: “Your dog jumped on her back and then latched on to her upper arm.
“The next thing she recalls is her dad, in the court’s view, bravely wrestling with your dog.
“She saw you come over and she wasn’t the only one to describe your approach as less than urgent.
“You didn’t seem urgent to help her or her dad. In time, you did put a lead on your dog.”
The girl received medical treatment at the Grange Hospital, but she had to be transferred to another hospital to treat her injuries.
The judge added: “In the car she asked to say a prayer, which she and her mum did.”
The police sedated the dog before seizing it and a veterinary surgeon later humanely euthanized it.
It was later identified as an XL bully dog – a banned breed which was also unregistered by Allison.
A victim statement was read out in court which shared how the girl has since been unable to do many of the things she once loved.
“The whole incident was a bad dream. I saw a chunk of my arm missing from my armed and worried I would lose the use of my arm...
“I do not like hospitals I was scared every second I was there. The whole process was upsetting although nurses were there to help me.
“I was housebound for weeks after the incident... I couldn’t sleep in my own bed.
“...I was always a dog lover (but) my family got rid of our dog (as) we could no longer feel completely safe,” she said.
In his defence, his lawyer Mr Jones said it wasn’t ‘planned’ or ‘expected’, rather a ‘momentary lapse’ forgetting to put a black bin as a barrier.
The judge, referring to the defendant’s account of how the dog got out in an interview, said:
“The only barrier to your dog entering public was a plastic bin at the side of your house...
“You have in the course of your interview minimized your fault for what happened that day...
“You bought that do when the dog was ten weeks old for one thousand pounds when you hadn’t worked for many years and had been on benefits."
The judge added: “You put enhancing your status, putting a swagger in your step before anyone else.
“A reckless disregard for the safety of others. A powerful dog was allowed to go on a rampage.
“An XL Bully weighing seven to eight stone. Not least, you knew the dog to be prohibited and failed to register it with the police.”
A police search of the defendant’s home after the incident recovered a butterfly knife in an upstairs bedroom.
The defendant previously pleaded guilty to possessing a banned breed without a licence and being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control in a public place.
He also admitted a charge of possessing a weapon in a private place.
His honour, Judge Daniel Williams gave the defendant a custodial sentence of three years of which he will spend half in prison.
The judge also banned the defendant from owning dogs for ten years.
The judge commended the father for his bravery and wished the girl well in her recovery.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Virginia Davies, the senior investigating officer, said: “Allison failed to keep his dog under control and a girl was viciously attacked, causing serious injuries.
“We wish her the very best with her ongoing recovery following this attack.
"This case should serve as a reminder to all dog owners of the importance of having your dog under control at all times.
"We take all reports of suspected irresponsible dog ownership seriously and we urge everyone to follow the legislation and guidance to prevent events like this happening in the future.”
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