Man sentenced over XL Bully attack in Cheltenham
Phillip Ilott has been handed a suspended prison sentence, fine and a lifelong ban from owning dogs
A man from Cheltenham has avoided jail for causing a dog attack, which left another man with serious injuries.
Phillip Ilott's XL Bully assaulted the victim in a communal garden in the town in May 2023.
The 32 year old from the Monkscroft area has been fined, handed a suspended jail term and banned from owning dogs for life.
The judge ordered the dog involved be humanely destroyed.
PC Rebekah Tristram from Gloucestershire Police said:
"Ilott failed to keep his dog under control and as a result a man was attacked and sustained serious injuries.
"The victim's dog was also injured during the attack, which must have been incredibly distressing for the animal and for his owner to witness.
"I welcome Ilott's sentence and hope that it will serve as a warning to all dog owners that, regardless of the breed of dog, all pets need to be kept under control in public places. Failure to do so can lead to some horrific outcomes.
"We will continue to take all reports of suspected irresponsible dog ownership seriously and will act on all information provided."