A man has pleaded guilty to owning an XL hooligan who became “dangerously out of control” after the pet lashed out and…

November 18, 2024, 13:33 | Updated: November 18, 2024, 1:45 p.m

Man pleads guilty to possession of dangerously out of control bully XL after pet mauled and killed neighbor — A man has pleaded guilty to owning an out-of-control XL bully after the pet mauled and killed a neighbor.

Picture: Alamy

A man has pleaded guilty to possessing a dangerous and uncontrolled bully XL after the pet attacked and killed his neighbor in a vicious and unprovoked attack.

Ian Langley, 54, suffered a fatal neck injury in October 2023 after XL Bully attacked him on October 3 last year.

Christopher Bell, 45, formerly of Maple Terrace, Shiney Row, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog causing bodily harm resulting in death while in a dangerous condition without control in a public place.

The 54-year-old victim is said to have been walking his puppy in Shiny Row, near Sunderland, when Mr Bell’s XL Bully attacked him, fatally biting him in the neck.

A dog named “American Bully XL” nicknamed “Titan” was shot and killed at the scene by police.

Christopher Bell, 45, leaves South Tyneside Magistrates' Court where he was charged with driving an out-of-control dog causing death following XL Bully's fatal attack on Ian Langley, 54 — Christopher Bell, 45, leaves South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court where he was charged with driving a dog dangerously out of control resulting in death, following XL Bully’s fatal attack on 54-year-old Ian Langley.

image:
Alami

At that time, it became known that the other bully XL was taken away by the police for public safety.

Neighbors said Mr Langley, who was originally from Liverpool, was walking his Patterdale puppy, called Bow, when he was attacked.

The puppy escaped during the attack and managed to escape, and after the attack the animal was cared for by a neighbor on the estate.

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At the time, Michael Kennedy, also of Shiney Row, said he had known Mr Langley for more than 20 years and said many people knew him simply as “Scouse”.

He said: “He was a really good lad, he came from Liverpool, he was a nice rogue you could say.”

At that time it became known that the other bully XL was taken away by the police for public safety.

Picture: Alamy

A paterdale terrier puppy, approximately 8 weeks old, similar to the victim's animal — A paterdale terrier puppy, approximately 8 weeks old, similar to the victim’s animal.

image:
AP / Kirsty Wigglesworth

Mr Kennedy added: “He never did any harm, he was not a violent person, he was not a hard person, he was not the type of person who is looking for trouble.

“He was very thin, he wouldn’t have stood a chance against a big dog.”

In a video posted on social media last year, an armed police officer stood on a ladder to crawl over a fence into a yard and shoot the animal from the road.

Now Bella will be sentenced on January 27.