A 12-year-old girl was viciously attacked by an XL Bully dog that jumped on her back and latched onto her arm in Nantyglo, South Wales.
The incident occurred in the early evening on October 7 when the dog, named Rocco and weighing between seven and eight stone, ran at high speed towards the victim.
The girl described hearing shouting behind her before turning to see the growling dog approaching, prosecutor Lisa Lewis told Newport Crown Court.
Her father bravely wrestled with the dog after it had bitten a chunk from her arm, leaving the bone and tendons exposed.
Justin Allison has been jailed for three years (file pic of dog)
Getty/Gwent Police
The dog’s owner, Justin Allison, was described as showing little urgency in helping, with witnesses saying he “didn’t seem bothered” as the girl shouted for help in the middle of the road.
Allison, 38, from Ebbw Vale, was jailed for three years at Newport Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to multiple charges.
The unemployed father-of-two admitted possessing a banned breed without a licence and being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control in a public place.
He also pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon after police found a butterfly knife in his bedroom. The court heard Allison had bought Rocco as a puppy for £1,000 despite being on benefits for many years.
LATEST XL BULLY ATTACKS
The 38-year-old was sentenced at Newport Crown Court
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The XL Bully, which was unregistered with police though known to local vets as “Rocco the Dude”, was later seized and humanely destroyed. Allison was additionally banned from owning dogs for 10 years.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the girl described the attack as “a bad dream” and expressed worry about losing the use of her arm.
“I was housebound for weeks after the incident… I couldn’t sleep in my own bed,” she said.
The court heard she was unable to attend school for six weeks, missing her friends and feeling excluded. The attack forced dramatic changes to her previously active lifestyle, preventing her from participating in karate, rugby, gymnastics and athletics.
The incident has left lasting psychological scars, with the girl saying she “hardly left the house any more” and becomes frightened when seeing stray dogs. Her family has since given up their own dog as they “could no longer feel completely safe.”
Sentencing Allison, Judge Daniel Williams condemned his “reckless disregard for the safety of others.”
“You put enhancing your status, putting swagger in your step, above the safety of anyone else,” the judge told him. The court heard Allison’s only barrier to prevent the dog entering public areas was a plastic bin at the side of his house.
Detective Chief Inspector Virginia Davies of Gwent Police said: “Allison failed to keep his dog under control and a girl was viciously attacked, causing serious injuries.”
“This case should serve as a reminder to all dog owners of the importance of having your dog under control at all times,” she added.
