29-01-2025
Love Island winner Jack Fincham jailed for six weeks after dangerous dog attack
Love Island star Jack Fincham has been jailed for six weeks after he admitted he had allowed his dangerously out-of-control dog to bite a man.
The 32-year-old, who won the 2018 season of the reality show alongside then-girlfriend Dani Dyer, pleaded guilty to two counts of being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog, with one of the incidents causing injury.
Southend-on-Sea Magistrates' Court head on Wednesday how his black Cane Corso, named Elvis, bit and injured runner Robert Sudell in Swanley, Kent, in September 2022.
Prosecutor Erin Peck said that Mr Sudell had accepted an apology and Fincham was going to be cautioned and engage with a responsible dog ownership course.
She said conditions were made including that his dog must be muzzled, but in June last year there was a second incident in Grays in Essex when his dog was out of control and he was later charged.
Presiding magistrate Anne Wade, sentencing, said that Fincham was subject to a suspended sentence order at the time of the incident in Swanley in Kent. The order, for an unrelated driving matter, was of 12 weeks custody suspended for 18 months.
Ms Wade said this order would be activated in part, adding that 'we find no reason not to do so', and jailed Fincham for six weeks.
'The dog was in a public place not abiding by the conditions to be muzzled and kept on a lead,' she said.
He will now face six weeks in prison for the offences and has been ordered to pay £3680 to the court, including a £2,000 contribution to kennelling costs, a fine of £961 and £200 compensation to Mr Sudell.
According to the Daily Mail, he was supported in court by his family and girlfriend, The Only Way is Essex star Chloe Brockett.
Richard Cooper, for Fincham, said the defendant 'has no savings' and Mr Fincham was told he could pay in instalments, initially at £400 per month.
An order was made that the dog must be muzzled in public places, be kept on a lead and not be left alone with anyone under the age of 16.
Cane Corsos is a powerful breed of Italian mastiff and and can weigh up to 50kg. There has been a surge of interest in the breed, which are traditionally used as guard dogs, after the UK government banned XL bullies last year.
The breed is not recognised by the Kennel Club and many pet insurance companies do not provide cover for them.
More than 200 Cane Corse puppies are currently on sale on Pets4Home, with prices for a pup reaching as much as £1,800.
