An XL Bully attacked a woman and her 11-year-old daughter when the man looking after it ‘lost control’ after downing five beers and some vodka, a court has heard.
The ferocious dog, named Snoopy, wrestled the mother to the floor before sinking its teeth into her arm and chasing her terrified daughter down the street outside a block of flats in West Kensington last year.
The terrifying rampage continued when the hound began biting multiple members of the public in a cemetery near the prestigious Queen’s Club tennis lawns before it was eventually restrained by police.
Stephen Ross, 49, who had been looking after Snoopy for a friend, later admitted to police he had drunk up to five beers and some vodka prior to the attacks.
He appeared via video-link at Willesden Magistrates Court to admit four charges of being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog causing injury.
A police officer is pictured on the scene where a woman and her 11-year-old daughter were attacked by an XL bully in July last year
Following the attack on the mother and daughter, the hound started biting multiple members of the public in the nearby Margravine Cemetery (pictured)
The dog attacked the woman and her daughter outside Mary Macarthur House before running down the street into Margravine cemetery where it again began attacking people
Inder Gholer, prosecuting, said Ross had been asked by the owner of the American XL Bully to look after him.
A woman was with her 11-year-old daughter outside Mary Macarthur House in the communal car park when they saw Ross sitting on the floor outside the block with a dog.
‘Very soon after passing the dog, the dog started barking at them; both the dog and the defendant started running towards the victims.
‘The dog jumped onto the mother’s front, trying to bite her – her daughter started screaming.’
The mother, who cannot be named to protect her daughter’s identity, said she put her arm out to protect herself when Snoopy sank its teeth into her, drawing blood.
‘The wound was said to be bleeding profusely,’ said the prosecutor.
‘A witness says that she was walking with her husband and her baby in a pram when they heard screams, and they then saw a woman on the floor and a large white dog attacking her.
‘His mouth was on the woman, wrapped around her limb – two others were kicking the dog to try and get it off the woman.’
Both attacks took place close to the prestigious Queen’s Club tennis lawns (pictured) in west London
The dog then chased the woman’s daughter and she fell over grazing her knees.
Ms Gholer said the XL Bully was ‘not muzzled’ but Ross managed to save the girl by putting his belt around the dog’s neck and dragging him away.
The two victims were both taken to the Chelsea and Westminster hospital for treatment.
Ms Gholer detailed how Snoopy carried out his second attack.
‘As officers were arresting the defendant, officers then heard screaming from Margravine cemetery, and people running out the cemetery.
‘Officers say they ran into the cemetery and saw Snoopy jumping up at people.
‘They saw him bite a female and then another male and a female.
‘Officers tried to use K9-17 (dog deterrent) spray but it had no effect as the dog ran back and bit the female again and then another before running off and biting another male.’
The two victims in the cemetery attack were referred to by Ms Gholer as ‘EN’ and ‘HN’.
‘EN says Snoopy came towards her growling, barking and jumping up at her before lunging at her and pushing her towards the ground.’
‘He then ran towards HN, who was with his two young children, aged 4 and 6.
‘The children were very scared, he said.
Since February 1 2024, it has been a criminal offence to own an XL bully without an exemption certificate (Stock image)
‘The dog went for his son so he quickly lifted his son up off the ground and put the child onto his shoulders, but the dog managed to get a hold of his child and then I believe he got a hold of this child’s shoe and managed to bite it off.
‘The dog was scratching HN’s legs throughout whilst it was trying to get to his son.
‘HN says that he was holding his son whilst the dog was attacking, this caused him to fall to the ground – as he fell, obviously, he fell with his son and his son hit his head on the ground.
‘The son also sustained scratches as a result.
‘As the victim turned his back to the dog, at this time the dog started attacking his backpack and destroyed it.’
Ms Gholer added that Ross later admitted to being ‘in drink’ and told officers he had necked up to five beers and some vodka.
Ross said in interview that the XL Bully had previously attacked him but claimed the dog ‘is usually very friendly and just wants to play’.
‘The dog has since been destroyed’, Ms Gholer added.
‘The defendant should have foreseen that the dog was capable of attacking again, which it did, and on a number of people including a young child.’
Ms Gholer added that one of the victims had diabetes and being bitten by Snoopy had complicated her ongoing recovery.
She said that Ross already has six convictions for nine offences, including one for battery last July.
Ross, of Townmead Road, Fulham, admitted four counts of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury.
He was committed to Harrow Crown Court for sentencing on a date to be fixed.
