TRAGIC teen Morgan Dorsett is the SEVENTH person confirmed to have been mauled to death by an XL Bully in the last year – as experts admit the ban hasn’t worked.
Morgan, 19, was killed by an XL Bully dog, understood to be owned by her cousin and weighing over eight stone, in Bristol last week.
GettyThere have been seven XL Bully fatal attacks on people since the ban last February[/caption]
PAMorgan Dorsett, 19, was killed last month[/caption]
JOHN McLELLANMum Esther Martin[/caption]
There have been a total of 11 fatal dog attacks involving any breed since the Government banned XL Bullies on February 1 2024.
This means more than 60 percent – or nearly two thirds – of such deaths have been caused by the brutes, which are not recognised as an official breed by the UK Kennel Club.
Brits killed by XL Bullies since last February…
Esther Martin (February 3, 2024)
Angeline Mahal (May 20, 2024)
David Daintree (August 20, 2024)
Nicholas Glass (August 21, 2024)
Savannah Bentham (November 1, 2024)
Michelle McLeod (December 7, 2024)
Morgan Dorsett (February 26, 2025)
It comes after a map revealed the UK’s “danger dog” hotspots with 114 hell hounds seized in a week.
Earlier this year police chiefs warned the Bully legislation won’t be an “overnight fix”.
Under the change to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, it became illegal to own an XL Bully without a certificate of exemption.
Then-PM Rishi Sunak had announced the ban following a flurry of attacks involving the breed.
Groups including the RSPCA and Dogs Trust also said the move would not stop the attacks, pointing to a “lack of data” to support such an assumption.
Meanwhile, Chief Constable Mark Harborough admitted in January the National Police Chiefs’ Council were yet to see any evidence the legislation change had led to a reduction in incidents.
And Patrick O’Hara, the NPCC’s tactical lead for dangerous dogs, added no forces have reported a reduction in incidents and many are putting in additional staff to cope with the extra demand.
ESTHER MARTIN
Grandmother Esther Martin, 68, suffered unsurvivable injuries after she was set upon by the dogs Bear and Beauty in Jaywick, Essex, on February 3 last year.
She was reportedly trying to break up the dogs with a broom as they fought before they turned on her.
The two adult dogs are said to have launched their attack in a back room as Esther’s horrified 11-year-old grandson fled the property to raise the alarm.
Both animals were destroyed at the scene and later confirmed to be XL Bullies.
Esther’s cause of death was previously given as “dog bite wounds to the upper right limb”.
ANGELINE MAHAL
The tragic death of Angeline Mahal, in her 50s and from Hornchurch, on May 24 2024 was at least the 13th life claimed by the banned breed in the UK in the three years.
The mum-of-two, who had raised the dogs since they were puppies, was found dead in the hallway of her home by her sons after the “awful attack”.
An unnamed family member told the Daily Mail they would “always urge her to give up the dogs” – especially after Esther’s death three months earlier.
DAVID DAINTREE
Lonely widower David Daintree, 53, was fatally attacked by an XL Bully he’d been looking after at his home in Accrington, Lancashire, on August 20 last year.
His daughter Joanne said she’d begged her dad to get rid of the pet days before his death.
She told The Sun: “As soon as I knew it was an XL Bully I told him to get rid of it.”
David’s beloved wife Sharon had died in July 2021, leaving the widower lonely and in need of a companion.
Young mum Joanne said: “He was lonely because the love of his life was no longer here and he didn’t know what to do with himself.”
NICHOLAS GLASS
Nicholas Glass, 32, was found dead in the garden of a relative’s property on Hereford Close in Rednal, Birmingham, in the early hours of August 21 2024.
It’s believed up to four dogs were present at the time he was attacked.
A post-mortem has since revealed he died as a result of dog bite injuries, cops said.
Two of the dogs were seized by police at the scene and the remaining pair were found following a two day hunt.
In a statement his family said: “In Nicholas we’ve lost a loving son, brother and uncle who was adored by all of his family and friends.”
SAVANNAH BENTHAM
10-year-old Savannah Bentham was mauled to death by her family’s “new pet” inside their caravan near Malton, North Yorkshire, on November 1 last year.
The youngster had been happily playing on swings in a park nearby just before the horror.
Savannah’s family issued a heartwrenching statement released by North Yorkshire Police.
It read: “We can’t believe we have lost our wonderful girl who we love so much.”
Locals had described the harrowing moment the youngster’s mother ran out screaming “my baby’s dead”.
MICHELLE MCLEOD
Michelle McLeod, 41, was savaged by an XL Bully called Bailey on December 7 2024.
Her grieving family said: “She was a much-loved mother, daughter and friend to many and will be sorely missed by all who knew her.”
Neighbours told of their shock at the horror inside Michelle’s second floor flat in Aberdeen.
One said: “The dog got taken out for one walk a day just outside the flat. That was never going to be enough for a dog that size.
“Sadly this is how it’s ended.”
It’s thought Michelle had got Bailey less than a year before her death.
MORGAN DORSETT
Morgan Dorsett, 19, from Shropshire, was attacked by XL Bully dog Prince, and died at the scene on February 26.
A man and a woman, both in their 20s, were arrested following the horror before being released on bail.
The dog’s owner, Kelcie Jones, had asked members of Facebook group XL Bullys and Large Breeds for a Bristol-based expert in November last year due to its bad behaviour.
The dog, which is estimated to have weighed 8st, attacked Morgan while she was staying at her relative’s flat in Cobhorn Drive in Withywood, south Bristol.
In her post, Kelcie said: “Any1 recommend good trainers around the Bristol area?
“Got a 50-55kg boy main issue is pulling and hyper-fixating on things. (Tried all the main training tips and equipment). Tia x.”
It came after claims the dog had tried to attack a neighbour three weeks before.
XL Bully owner Sophie Coulthard previously told The Independent: “The PM [Rishi Sunak] said it was important to keep the public safe, but this ban has not kept the public safe.
“We said all along it was a knee-jerk reaction and that there was an opportunity for real reform in the UK and much better legislation, and this [the data] shows that.”
A spokesperson for Dogs Trust said: “We do not believe that banning further types of dog is an effective or sustainable solution to protecting public safety.
“Breed specific legislation fails to deliver what it was designed to do. It has not reduced hospital admissions from dog bites, it has not improved public safety and it has not reduced the number of dogs conforming to the breeds or types it legislates against.”
Last summer RSPCA’s dog welfare expert Dr Samantha Gaines said: “This current approach is not working, as is evident by these figures, and needs a complete overhaul, not only to better protect public safety but also to ensure good dog welfare.”
The ban has so far cost police an estimated £25million in vet and kennel fees alone, according to the NPCC.
At the end of last year, one of the largest dog marketplaces Puppies.co.uk sent Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to police forces across the UK.
It found just under 6,000 dangerous dogs had been seized by 27 forces in the 12 months from November 2023.
This meant 114 dogs are seized each week across the nation on average.
A spokesperson for Puppies.co.uk said: “While the recent data on dog seizures is concerning, it’s crucial to remember that focusing on breed-specific bans is not the answer to promoting public safety.
“The Dangerous Dogs Act has been in effect for over three decades and yet, hospital admissions due to dog bites continue to rise.
“Instead of focusing on breed, the emphasis should be on addressing the root causes of dog aggression, which generally stem from irresponsible ownership and breeding practices.”
They added: “Dogs, regardless of breed, can exhibit aggressive behaviour if they are not properly trained, socialised, and cared for.
“Tighter breeding legislation and increased resources for enforcement are necessary to combat the rise of illegal and low-welfare breeders who prioritise profit over the well-being of the animals.”
It came after cops issued an urgent warning to dog owners to “step up before someone dies” after 13 horrific attacks in less than 48 hours.
South Yorkshire Police said incidents of dangerous dogs included a man left with serious facial injuries and a woman fearing for her baby’s safety.
Which dog breeds are banned in the UK?
THERE are specific regulations in place that prohibit certain dog breeds from being owned or bred in the UK.
So what are the illegal dogs in the UK and why are they illegal? Here’s what we know.
Which dog breeds are illegal in the UK?
People tend to think of large, vicious dogs when they imagine being bitten by one.
But the truth is that many types of dogs are known to bite humans, whether provoked or not.
However, it’s important to remember that just because a breed tends to bite humans, that doesn’t mean that they all do.
British law determines five breeds of dog are illegal to own, breed, sell or give away.
These are an XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro.
Angeline Mahal
CollectDavid Daintree with his daughter Joanne and late wife Sharon, and granddaughter Skylar-Louise[/caption]
West Midlands PoliceNicholas Glass[/caption]
Michelle McLeod Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
