Mother and Son Jailed After Boy, 8, Mauled by XL Bully

A mother and son have been jailed following a vicious attack by their XL Bully dog on an eight-year-old boy, resulting in severe head injuries.

Amanda Young, 49, received a 20-month jail sentence after admitting to being in charge of a dog that caused injury while dangerously out of control in a public place. Her son, Lewis Young, 30, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to being the owner of the dog, via The Sky News.

The young victim, who remains unidentified, suffered extensive injuries to his scalp, face, and hands during the attack, which occurred in the communal area of a block of flats on Wadham Road in Bootle, Merseyside, on February 10.

Sentencing the pair, Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary described the attack’s horrific nature. “The circumstances of the attack are truly awful. The nature of the injuries caused to the young victim, then eight years old, were catastrophic and on any view life-changing. The events of that day will no doubt haunt the memories of everyone who witnessed the savage and sustained attack by the dog you had decided to keep as a pet”, reported by Manchester Evening News.

Prosecutor Charlotte Kenny recounted that the victim had been visiting the flats to play with a friend when the attack happened. The dog was “unrestrained” and “uncontrolled” when it began attacking the boy, having been allowed to wander freely around the communal parts of the block by Amanda Young.

Neighbors attempted to intervene, with one man, Anthony Atkinson, grabbing the dog by its neck in an effort to stop the attack. He described seeing the dog latched onto the boy’s shoulder and neck area. Witnesses also reported that the dog was “frothing at the mouth” and shaking the boy’s head.

Amanda Young was responsible for the dog while her son, a delivery driver, was at work. She later admitted to police that she had consumed three or four gins, which may have been double measures, that afternoon.

The victim was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and underwent surgery to reattach his scalp, but the procedure was unsuccessful. He also suffered a skull fracture consistent with the dog’s tooth penetrating his scalp, according to Ms. Kenny.

Judge Menary highlighted the long-term impact of the injuries: “This little boy has had multiple surgeries to graft skin to his head. He will be left, on any view, with extensive facial and scalp scarring and profound psychological scarring. The injuries are just dreadful.”

The victim’s mother, who attended court with relatives, shared the ongoing trauma her son faces. “He is petrified when he sees a dog and will physically grab his dad’s or my hand,” she said. She also revealed that her son had to stay in the hospital for over two months and has not yet returned to school.

The dog, named Snoop, was seized and destroyed following the incident. New restrictions that came into force at the end of last year require XL Bully dogs to be kept on a lead and muzzled in public. As of February 1, it is a criminal offense to own an XL Bully in England and Wales without a certificate.