Shiney Row XL bully owner jailed for man’s attack death
PA Media
Christopher Bell admitted owning a dangerously out of control dog
The owner of an XL bully dog which chased and killed a man has been jailed for three years.
Ian Langley, 54, was mauled in Shiney Row, near Sunderland, on 3 October 2023, and died in hospital from “catastrophic” neck injuries.
Christopher Bell, 45, admitted being the owner of a dog which caused injury leading to death while dangerously out of control in a public place.
Bell’s dog, an 18-month-old American XL bully called Titan which had a history of attacking other dogs, was shot dead by police at the scene of the attack.
Shortly before 19:00 BST on 3 October 2023, Mr Langley, who came from Liverpool and was known in the area as “Scouse”, threw a stone at Bell’s Maple Terrace home and smashed a window, prosecutor Jolyon Perks said.
Bell ran out of the house and chased Mr Langley and his XL bully dogs Titan and Sapphire followed through the open front door, Mr Perks said.
Titan overtook Bell and, after about 330ft (100m), dragged Mr Langley to the floor and clamped its jaws around Mr Langley’s neck, the court heard.
‘Just kill the dogs’
The dog “firmly resisted” all attempts to pull it away, Mr Perks said, and Mr Langley suffered “catastrophic injuries”.
Bell was eventually able to remove Titan and took him home before returning to Mr Langley’s side and calling 999.
Mr Langley was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle but was declared dead about two hours after the attack, the court heard.
Armed police killed Titan at the scene, with Sapphire also later put down, the court heard.
When officers arrived, Bell, now of De La Pole Avenue in Hull, told them to “just kill” the dogs, Mr Perks said.
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