A five-year-old boy has been left permanently scarred and disfigured after being savagely attacked by a "huge" XL Bully dog in Hull, with the court hearing the incident occurred without any warning or safety precautions in place.
The Horror Attack
The young victim had simply asked to see what he thought would be a "puppy" when his mother brought him to the house where the dog was being kept. Instead, he encountered an 11-month-old XL Bully named Chappy, described as a "large, powerful dog" that launched an instantaneous attack.
The court heard the dog bit down on the boy's head without warning, with bystanders struggling to pull the animal away. The attack resulted in the loss of part of his scalp and required a skin graft on half of his head. Medical professionals confirmed the hair will never regrow in the affected area, leaving permanent scarring.
Owners' Responsibility Failures
Courteney Chearman, 26, of Steynburg Street in east Hull, had left her XL Bully with her mother, Victoria Marks, 48, while she went on a five-day caravan holiday with her four-year-old daughter. Despite the breed being declared illegal without an exemption certificate - which Chearman had begun applying for but not completed - no safety measures were discussed or implemented.
Prosecutor Claire Holmes revealed the dog's crate wasn't brought to the residence and no barriers or gates were arranged for visitor safety. "Dogs are unpredictable and he was a dangerous dog breed," stated Miss Holmes. "No precautions were taken to protect anyone who visited the house."
Chearman denied being the owner of a dog that caused injury while dangerously out of control on May 27 last year but was convicted by a jury after trial. Marks admitted being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog.
Life-Changing Consequences
The physical injuries represent only part of the trauma suffered by the young victim. His mother reported he now trembles with fear when seeing dogs in public and has developed a significant phobia. She described the attacking dog as a "beast" with a "massive" head.
Judge Mark Bury noted that "XL Bullies are known to be capable of extreme violence" and criticised both women for their failures. He told Chearman: "As a responsible dog owner, you should have done more than that," while telling Marks she "singularly failed" in her responsibilities.
The XL Bully was seized by police and euthanised in October of the previous year. Chearman was ordered to complete 70 hours of unpaid work, while Marks received a one-year suspended prison sentence, 150 hours of unpaid work, 15 days' rehabilitation and was banned from keeping dogs for 10 years.
