A thug set his XL Bully on a defenceless girl and inspired it to attack her throughout a terrifying ordeal. Liam Rainey took his canine’s muzzle off earlier than it jumped on her and bit her to the arm and chest.
After regaining management of the animal, Rainey then stated ‘good canine, get her’, earlier than it attacked her for a second time on the street in Wigan. The horrifying attack occurred after the sufferer had change into embroiled in a row between Rainey and his girlfriend, Manchester Crown Court heard.
“This was a terrifying ordeal,” Judge Sarah Johnston informed 26-year-old Rainey, as she sentenced him to 3 years in jail. “You intentionally used your canine as a weapon, in what turned a sustained attack on a defenceless girl who was wounded by your animal in your instruction.”
Try MEN Premium now with our superb New Year provide… simply click here to offer it a go.
Rainey was additionally banned from proudly owning a canine for 5 years. “I regard the canine as one in all your victims as properly,” the choose informed him.
It will change into unlawful to personal an XL Bully canine in England and Wales from February 1. Prosecutors informed how the attack occurred in Windermere Road, Ince, on Sunday June 11 final 12 months. The sufferer, 55, was at home together with her niece who acquired a textual content message from Rainey asking whether or not his girlfriend was there, prosecutor Ellen Shaw stated.
She informed him she was elsewhere, however Rainey did not imagine her. The pair determined to drive to fulfill Rainey’s girlfriend, however ran into her on the street throughout their journey.
Shortly after, Rainey additionally arrived on the scene on foot along with his canine, described as an ‘XL Bully sort’. The canine was stated to have had a muzzle on as a ‘precaution’.
There was an ‘altercation’ between him and his girlfriend, earlier than the sufferer of the canine attack sought to diffuse the state of affairs. Rainey then ‘squared as much as her’, earlier than eradicating the canine’s muzzle.
He then ‘set it on her’. The canine jumped up and bit the lady on her forearm and on the chest, leaving her wounded and bloodied.
Rainey introduced the canine again beneath his management, however then stated: “Good canine, get her.” The girl was then bitten by the canine once more to her facet.
She ran away, whereas Rainey then lifted the canine to permit it to enter the automobile the ladies had arrived in, the place three mates of the sufferer who had witnessed the attack had been sitting. They rapidly leapt out of the car to keep away from the animal.
After Rainey left, the sufferer returned home and alerted the police. She went to hospital, the place her wounds had been cleaned and dressed.
Rainey was arrested at his home the next morning. He informed police that the canine was ‘calm and pleasant’, and that it ‘would by no means attack anyone’.
The sufferer informed how her ordeal has affected her psychologically. “I by no means go away the home anymore, I can not sleep and continually need to be by myself,” she stated.
“I really feel like a special person since this incident has occurred. If I do go away the home, and I see a canine out on the road, I panic. I maintain pondering ‘what if this canine had bitten a baby?’ I usually have nightmares about dogs.”
Defending, Kevin Liston stated that Rainey is initially from Liverpool however moved to Wigan for a ‘recent begin’. He stated the defendant had skilled a troubled childhood, and been ‘focused and groomed’ by crime gangs primarily based within the metropolis.
Mr Liston stated that Rainey, who has 24 earlier convictions, together with for theft and violence, had used his time on remand in jail ‘productively’. He stated that Rainey’s canine had not attacked anybody else beforehand.
Rainey has since relinquished possession of the animal, and it’s being cared for at kennels. Under the legislation, the choose should resolve whether or not the canine needs to be destroyed following the attack.
Judge Johnson adjourned the case, asking prosecutors for extra details about how the canine has behaved because the attack earlier than she guidelines on its destiny. Rainey, of Darlington Street East, Wigan, pleaded responsible to part 20 wounding and being in control of a canine which was dangerously uncontrolled and precipitated damage.
The Government has moved to ban XL Bully dogs following the deaths of 23 individuals in dogs assaults since 2021. Statistics revealed that earlier than that 12 months, round three individuals a 12 months because of canine assaults.
Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss claimed the XL Bully breed was ‘disproportionately concerned on this rise’. It will change into unlawful to personal an XL Bully from February 1, until house owners have an exemption certificates.
