Bully XL: Merthyr dog owner jailed after Barry mauling

Marcus Walsh has been jailed for 18 months (custody image from 2019)

A banned dog owner has been jailed for 18 months after his two bully XLs mauled a woman.

Rachael Millard, 35, was walking her dog on Coronation Street in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, when the animals charged towards her in March 2022.

She dived on her puppy to protect it and the two dogs sank their teeth into her, leaving multiple puncture wounds.

Marcus Walsh, 41, of Merthyr Tydfil, was banned from owning dogs at the time, Newport Crown Court was told.

Walsh, of Plantation Close, Penydarren, pleaded guilty to owning a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury and was given an 18-month sentence.

• Bully XL owners scared to go out, says dog trainer

• What is an American bully XL and why are they being banned?

Roger Griffiths, prosecuting, said the "prolonged attack" lasted seven minutes after two young girls opened the front door of a property and the two "aggressive" dogs ran out.

In a statement read in court, Ms Millard said she suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and was hyper-vigilant when walking her puppy, a boxer called Floyd.

She said, since the attack, she would look for an exit whenever she entered a park in case she needed to escape.

Mr Griffiths said that following the attack, Walsh went to Ms Millard's house with flowers and begged her not to tell police because he was banned from owning dogs.

Walsh told her he had given the dogs away and later refused to say where they were.

The court heard he had previous convictions for another dangerous dog attack and, at the time of the offence, had a five-year ban from owning them.

Victoria Maud, defending, said Walsh had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Judge Daniel Williams banned him from owning dogs for a further 10 years, adding: "You are not a fit and proper person to own a dog."