BOY LOST HIS THUMB IN XL BULLY ATTACK

DOG'S OWNER JAILED FOR 26 MONTHS

- By DAVID POWELL Daily Post Reporter [e-mail]

THE mother of a boy badly injured by an XL Bully has told how she feels “guilt” at leaving him with the dog owner's family.

Ffion Williams left her son Caio Shaw at a house before a birthday party.

But she told Caernarfon Crown Court that she had “no idea” that the Parry family had an XL Bully and she would never have let her son, then eight, enter the house if she had done. Caio and another boy walked out onto the street, but Ian Parry's dog got out and attacked Caio.

Yesterday the court heard the traumatic sequence of events on Sunday, August 11 last year that ended in horror. Prosecutor Richard Edwards told how Mrs Williams walked her son to the home of their neighbours - the Parry family.

Mrs Williams spoke to Sadie Parry, the mother of Caio's friend Corey. The boys, due to go to a party in Caernarfon, went briefly upstairs and Mrs Williams left.

The boys came out onto the street North Penrallt but Corey forgot his money and went back inside. Then the Parrys’ XL Bully came out and “focussed” on Caio, according to Corey's grandmother Yvette Hodgson.

Caio put his arms up but the dog “leapt up towards Caio’s face”. Mrs Hodgson tried to get the dog off and “shield” Caio but the dog got hold of Caio’s right hand and Mrs Hodgson heard a “crunching sound”.

The dog's owner Ian Parry came out and stabbed it in the chest and stomach.

But it “went for” Caio and bit Mrs Hodgson on the forehead, said prosecutor Mr Edwards. “It wasn’t until the defendant (Parry) stabbed the dog for a second time that the dog stopped attacking Caio,” he added.