XL Bully mauled two people after being ordered to ‘kill’ by owner as victims left with 'horrific injuries'
8 April 2025, 16:25 | Updated: 8 April 2025, 16:28
Two people were mauled by an XL Bully ordered to “kill” during a brutal street fight, a court has heard.
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Colin Pearson was walking his dog “King” when he got into a violent argument with Kurtis Rutter in Hendon, Sunderland.
As the row escalated, Pearson ordered the XL Bully to “get him, kill him.”
The dog followed its owner’s order, attacking Rutter and “causing havoc in the streets,” Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Jake Moan was also savaged in the attack, who stepped in to help Rutter.
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The animal was tasered at the scene and later humanely destroyed by a vet.
Prosecutor Joe Hedworth outlined how Pearson had met Rutter while out shopping in Hendon on November 3 last year.
Mr Hedworth said: "The dog sprinted towards him and jumped up and knocked him to the ground.
“The dog repeatedly bit him on the arms, on his neck, jaw and ears and is described as appearing to latch on."
The dog then turned its attention to moan, sinking its teeth into its arm and biting down before attacking Rutter once again.
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Mr Hedworth continued: "It was a sustained attack in the middle of the day when numerous members of the public were present, including an elderly person."
Pearson then tried to step in, hitting the hulking canine in a bid to stop its attack.
Both men suffered “horrific” injuries, Judge Spragg told the court.
He said: "You can see members of the public jumping out of the way as the dog roams around looking for people to attack.
"They both suffered very unpleasant injuries and the affects of what happened clearly will be long lasting, physically and mentally.
"CCTV and photographs show the dog totally out of control, causing havoc in the streets as people try to get out of the way."
Pearson, 44, who has 165 offences on his record, admitted to two charges of being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog and handed a three-year jail sentence.
Christopher Knox, defending, claimed the dog did not belong to Pearson and branded the attack a “spur of the moment” incident.
He said: "He did get a stick to try and get the dog to stop doing what it was doing.
“He was completely unable to control the dog."
