‘XL Bully' that mauled girl, 9, in the FACE is returned to owner as she walks free from jail
Elizabeth Boot's dog, Rocky,
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Elizabeth Boot, 33, has walked free from court after her dog attacked a child last year
Credit: BPM
According to
However, over a year later, Rocky has been returned to his owner.
When the young girl was taken to hospital, Boot begged her and her mother not to tell the police about the attack in fears that her dog would be
The 33-year-old from Sneinton then proceeded to give false details about the incident in a bid to protect the dog, while the victim was being treated at the
UK News
Despite the child receiving multiple injuries, including a deep gash under her eye, Boot continued to give a false name and false details.
A dog behaviour expert has since analysed Rocky and produced a report concluding it would be safe for him to return home.
Handing her a 16-month
"Rather than show concern for the girl, you were more concerned about Rocky and the impact on you and your family.
Most read in The Sun
"It was selfish behaviour and behaviour you should be ashamed of."
However, the judge concluded that due to it being a quick bite rather than the dog taking hold of and
Mum's face left 'pouring with blood' after being attacked by 'pitbull-type dog' she went to stroke on night out
The case prosecutor, Devni Kitulagoda, said the girl was unsupervised with the dog when it suddenly
Boot was alerted to what was happening after hearing the child scream.
Kitulagoda continued to explain that Boot's partner then began shouting that Rocky was going to be put down and begged the mother and child not to say anything.
But Boot later pleaded
Lucia Harrington, mitigating, said her client has children aged nine and 11 who both have ADHD and autism.
Harrington said explained that if Boot was to go into immediate custody, her children would have to be put into care.
As part of the suspended sentence order, the judge ordered the defendant to attend 15 rehabilitation session and also contribute £1000 towards the £12000 kennelling costs which had been incurred.
He also ordered a contingency destruction order.
This means Rocky will be destroyed if the owner is unable to keep it under control.
The conditions are as follows:
Pet gates to be fitted at the entrance of her home and her living room entrance.
If anyone under thee age of 16 visits her home, Rocky needs to be locked in a separate room.
The owner must attend sessions with a dog behaviour analyst.
The horrifying incident saw Victoria Hewitt's pet, Karma, attack her two children and friend, aged 4, 8 and 11.
The attack saw the dog drag one of the children across the floor, biting her down to the bone.
A judge later sentenced Hewitt to an eight-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.
These incidents come after a ban on XL Bullies was ruled by the High Court in December 2024.
Judges said that ministers has "sufficient evidence of an alarmingly high level of fatal attacks" by the dog breed when the crackdown was launched in 2023.
Fatal XL Bully attacks
A 10-year-old girl, locally named as Savannah, killed by her "new pet", and XL Bully, on Friday November 1, 2024.
Woman in her 50s
Ian "Scouse" Langley, 54, was protecting his puppy when the
Ian Price, 52, was
Ian Symes, 34, who was known to friends as "Wiggy",
Joanne Robinson, 43, was
Keven Jones, 62, went into
Bella-Rae Birch, one, was mauled to death in March 2022 at her home by the American Bully XL.
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A ban on XL Bullies was ruled by the High Court in December 2024
Credit: Getty
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The crackdown on the breed was launched in 2023
Credit: Getty
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