The owner of an XL bully that attacked and badly injured a dog and its owner is being forced to have his pet destroyed following the attack. Phillip Ilott, 32, has also been banned from keeping dogs for life but walked free from court after being handed a six-month prison sentence that was suspended for 12 months.
Ilott, from the Monkscroft area of Cheltenham, was also ordered to pay £100 costs to the victim and £187 court costs after pleading guilty to being the person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury.
The XL bully was not on the lead when it launched the attack on May 7, 2023. The horrific incident began when the victim entered a communal garden where Ilott was with his dog.
Once inside, Ilott’s XL bully approached them and attacked the victim’s dog by latching onto its neck. As the victim tried to intervene and stop the attack, Ilott’s dog bit him on the hand, causing deep puncture wounds and bleeding which required hospital treatment. The victim’s dog sustained injuries to its neck and body and was taken to the vets for emergency treatment. Ilott initially denied that the attack had taken place.
However, he was subsequently charged with being the owner or person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury and his dog was seized. The animal was later identified as an XL bully, which is now a banned breed, but was not at the time of the offence.
Ilott initially denied that his dog had caused any injury to the victim or the victim’s dog. However, he then pleaded guilty at Gloucester Crown Court.
PC Rebekah Tristram from Gloucestershire Police said: “Ilott failed to keep his dog under control and as a result a man was attacked and sustained serious injuries. The victim’s dog was also injured during the attack, which must have been incredibly distressing for the animal and for his owner to witness.
“I welcome Ilott’s sentence and hope that it will serve as a warning to all dog owners that, regardless of the breed of dog, all pets need to be kept under control in public places. Failure to do so can lead to some horrific outcomes.
“We will continue to take all reports of suspected irresponsible dog ownership seriously and will act on all information provided.”
At the sentencing hearing on Tuesday, January 2, Illot was banned from keeping dogs for life, handed a prison sentence of six months, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to pay £100 costs to the victim and £187 court costs. The court also ordered that the dog be humanely destroyed.