XL bully fatally mauls elderly neighbour after 45-minute attack in Warrington

An 84-year-old man died after a banned XL bully mauled him for about 45 minutes in Warrington, after police had to shoot the dog 10 times and kill a second XL bully found in the house. The case has sharpened scrutiny of how the XL bully ban is being enforced, and how dangerous dogs are still ending up in homes without the required paperwork or restraint.

Sean Garner, 31, of Belle Vale in Liverpool, was jailed for 12 years on 17 April 2026 after a six-day trial at Liverpool Crown Court. The court heard that John McColl wandered onto the driveway of Garner’s home on Bardsley Avenue, Warrington, Cheshire, at about 6pm on 24 February 2025 and was attacked by Garner’s XL bully, Toretto. McColl suffered catastrophic facial injuries and remained conscious throughout the attack, which the court heard lasted about 45 minutes. He spent about a month in intensive care and died from his injuries about a month later.

Judge Brian Cummings KC said McColl’s suffering was “quite unspeakable” and that the retired steel erector must have been in “absolute agony”. The court heard neighbours tried to drive the dog off with a spirit level and a walking stick as the attack continued. Police later reported flashbacks and a need for counselling after witnessing the scene. McColl’s granddaughter, Kelly Percival, told the court, “Your dog basically ate my grandad, but you and your family don’t care,” while his daughter, Joanne Percival, said the family was living a nightmare and that Garner had shown no remorse.

The case also exposed how weakly the ban can be policed when owners ignore it. Garner had already admitted possessing Toretto and a female XL bully, Malibu, without exemption certificates. Cheshire Police said he was convicted after a six-day trial after previously pleading guilty to two counts of possessing an XL bully without an exemption certificate. The court heard he had hidden the dogs from his landlord, telling him he owned only a French bulldog, while in fact keeping a micro bully and two XL bullies at the property.

The XL bully rules in England and Wales have required a valid Certificate of Exemption since 1 February 2024. Since 31 December 2023, it has also been an offence to sell, abandon, let stray, give away or breed from an XL bully, or to have one in public without a lead and muzzle. In this case, those safeguards failed at every stage: the dogs were unregistered, unrestrained and effectively left to create the fatal risk that ended John McColl’s life.