XL Bully Diesel 'not to blame' but set to die

JUDGE ORDERS DOG TO BE PUT DOWN AND JAILS OWNER

- OLIVER PRIDMORE

AN XL Bully dog that tore open a man’s hand in Beeston will be destroyed after leaving its victim with PTSD.

Nottingham Crown Court heard that it was unclear whether the victim, a barber, would ever regain full control of his left hand.

At a sentencing hearing yesterday, Judge Steven Coupland imposed a 25-month prison sentence on owner Stephen Clay, 44, who was walking the XL Bully, Diesel, at the time of the attack.

The sentence covered a string of recent offences, including assaulting four police officers,

Judge Coupland approved a destruction order for Diesel, but it will not be carried out until the end of a 21-day appeal period. Clay was banned from having custody of a dog for five years.

Clay admitted all the offences – including the main charge of being the owner of a dog which was dangerously out of control and caused injury to a person – before Tuesday’s hearing.

The offences began with twice having his partner’s XL Bully dog out in public without a muzzle.

The attack itself was on October 9 last year. The court was shown CCTV footage of the incident.