Owner of XL bully that ‘savaged’ 84-year-old man found guilty
A man has been convicted over a fatal XL bully attack on an 84-year-old pensioner.
Sean Garner, 31, had denied the charge of owning a dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control, but was convicted following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
He had previously admitted to possessing the banned male dog and a female of the same breed without an exemption certificate.
John McColl died from his injuries a month after the attack by the dog in Warrington, Cheshire, on 24 February last year.
The XL bully, called Toretto, mauled the pensioner after he wandered on to the driveway of Garner’s home in Bardsley Avenue, the jury was told.
The dog had “savaged” Mr McColl and “guarded him as if he were its prey”. The animal named Toretto had to be shot 10 times by police officers who were called to the scene.
Garner, of Belle Vale, Liverpool, had told the court that he had taken steps to prevent the dogs from being dangerously out of control, and he would not have allowed the male dog near his children if he thought it was aggressive.
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