‘XL Bully' that mauled girl, 9, in the FACE is returned to owner as she walks free from jail

The Sun

03-07-2025

AN XL Bully owner has walked free from court after her dog attacked a child last year.
Elizabeth Boot's dog, Rocky, attacked a 9-year-old at an address in Nottingham in January 4, 2024, a court heard.
3
The victim's injuries were so severe that she had to take time off school and is now left with permanent scarring.
However, over a year later, Rocky has been returned to his owner.
When the young girl was taken to hospital, Boot begged her and her mother not to tell the police about the attack in fears that her dog would be put down, Nottingham Crown Court was told.
The 33-year-old from Sneinton then proceeded to give false details about the incident in a bid to protect the dog, while the victim was being treated at the Queens Medical Centre (QMC).
Despite the child receiving multiple injuries, including a deep gash under her eye, Boot continued to give a false name and false details.
A dog behaviour expert has since analysed Rocky and produced a report concluding it would be safe for him to return home.
Handing her a 16-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, Judge Mark Watson said: "This was a frightening and scary incident, it must have been made worse by your response to it.
"Rather than show concern for the girl, you were more concerned about Rocky and the impact on you and your family.
"It was selfish behaviour and behaviour you should be ashamed of."
However, the judge concluded that due to it being a quick bite rather than the dog taking hold of and mauling the child, Rocky did not pose a danger to the public.
The case prosecutor, Devni Kitulagoda, said the girl was unsupervised with the dog when it suddenly jumped up and bit her just under her eye.
Boot was alerted to what was happening after hearing the child scream.
Kitulagoda continued to explain that Boot's partner then began shouting that Rocky was going to be put down and begged the mother and child not to say anything.
But Boot later pleaded guilty to being in possession of a dog that was dangerously out of control and injured a person.
Lucia Harrington, mitigating, said her client has children aged nine and 11 who both have ADHD and autism.
Harrington said explained that if Boot was to go into immediate custody, her children would have to be put into care.
As part of the suspended sentence order, the judge ordered the defendant to attend 15 rehabilitation session and also contribute £1000 towards the £12000 kennelling costs which had been incurred.
He also ordered a contingency destruction order.
This means Rocky will be destroyed if the owner is unable to keep it under control.
The conditions are as follows:
Pet gates to be fitted at the entrance of her home and her living room entrance.
If anyone under thee age of 16 visits her home, Rocky needs to be locked in a separate room.
The owner must attend sessions with a dog behaviour analyst.
Three young girls were also attacked by a 7st XL Bully in Norfolk earlier this year.
The horrifying incident saw Victoria Hewitt's pet, Karma, attack her two children and friend, aged 4, 8 and 11.
The attack saw the dog drag one of the children across the floor, biting her down to the bone.
A judge later sentenced Hewitt to an eight-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.
These incidents come after a ban on XL Bullies was ruled by the High Court in December 2024.
Judges said that ministers has "sufficient evidence of an alarmingly high level of fatal attacks" by the dog breed when the crackdown was launched in 2023.
Fatal XL Bully attacks
A 10-year-old girl, locally named as Savannah, killed by her "new pet", and XL Bully, on Friday November 1, 2024.
Woman in her 50s mauled to death at home by two XL Bully dogs in Hornchurch, East London on May 21, 2024.
Esther Martin, 68, was looking after her grandson in Jaywick, Essex, when dogs Bear and Beauty attacked her on February 3, 2024.
Ian "Scouse" Langley, 54, was protecting his puppy when the animal pounced on him outside a home in Sunderland in October 2023.
Ian Price, 52, was viciously savaged in September 2023 by the beasts as he tried to protect his elderly mum from them after they escaped.
Jonathan Hogg, 37, was killed in May 2023 entered the dog's pen when it went for him, leaving bite wounds on his arm, leg and head.
Natasha Johnston, 28, was mauled to death while walking a pack of dogs in January 2023 was believed to have been killed by her own pet - an American Bully XL.
Shirley Patrick, 83, died 17 days after being mauled in a 'hellish', violent dog attack in December 2022.
Ian Symes, 34, who was known to friends as "Wiggy", died at a recreation ground in Fareham, Hampshire, after the savage attack in August 2022.
Joanne Robinson, 43, was fatally mauled by pet Rocco at her home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire in July 2022.
Keven Jones, 62, went into cardiac arrest after being bitten by Cookie-Doe at Chanel Fong's home in Wrexham, North Wales in May 2022.
Bella-Rae Birch, one, was mauled to death in March 2022 at her home by the American Bully XL.
Jack Lis, 10, was killed by a hulking XL Bully dog named Beast in November 2021 as he played at friend's home in Caerphilly.
3
3