XL Bully Dog Shot by Armed Police After Savage Attack on Elderly Man
In a harrowing incident that has shocked the community, an XL bully dog was shot 10 times by armed police to halt a fatal attack on an 84-year-old pensioner in Warrington, Cheshire. The court heard that John McColl was mauled by the dog, named Toretto, after he wandered onto the driveway of Sean Garner's home on Bardsley Avenue on February 24 last year.
Neighbors' Desperate Attempts to Intervene
Christopher Burton, a neighbor who witnessed the attack, described the scene as horrific. He testified from behind a screen at Liverpool Crown Court, stating that he grabbed a walking stick after being alerted by another neighbor, Victor Ferrier. 'The dog was chewing on the bloke's face, it was tearing the bloke's face,' Mr. Burton said. He struck the dog once with the stick, but the animal, weighing seven stone and four pounds, turned towards him, forcing him to back off.
Mr. Burton recounted hearing Mr. McColl's screams as the dog continued to bite his arm and face. 'I just could not get the dog off the bloke,' he added, describing himself as 'hysterical' when police arrived. Another witness, Geoffrey Chadwick, who was walking his dogs nearby, ran home and returned with a spirit level to help. He initially thought Mr. McColl was dead until he heard the pensioner ask for assistance.
Prosecution Details the Savage Assault
Prosecutor David Birrell opened the case, explaining that it remains unclear why Mr. McColl entered the driveway. 'After he entered the defendant's driveway, the dog attacked him and it just would not let him go,' Mr. Birrell said. He emphasized that despite efforts by grown men with weapons to hit the dog, it guarded Mr. McColl 'as if he were its prey' and continued to savage him.
The attack only ended when armed police arrived and shot the XL bully 10 times. PC Chris Cunliffe, one of the first officers on the scene, described the dog's behavior as akin to guarding a toy it had ripped apart. A post-mortem examination revealed that Mr. McColl died from complications due to dog bites to his head and face.
Disturbing Findings and Legal Proceedings
An examination of the dog after its death found human remains and plastic in its stomach, with no dog food present. The court also heard that two other dogs were discovered at the property after the attack: a female XL bully, which was also shot by police, and a pocket bully-type dog that was removed.
Sean Garner, 31, of Belle Vale, Liverpool, has denied being the owner of a dog causing injury while out of control. However, he has previously admitted two offences of possessing an XL bully without an exemption certificate. The tenancy application for the property indicated that Garner and his partner had two children and one French bulldog, but no XL bullies were declared.
The case, expected to last about a week, was adjourned until Wednesday, with the community left reeling from the tragic event.
