James Harrison Trimble-Pettit: Man sentenced to five years jail after his XL Bully dogs killed father-of-two
He was trying to return one of the dogs home after it escaped, but was brutally attacked for 12 minutes.
A British man has been sentenced to five years in prison after his two dogs mauled a father-of-two to death.
James Harrison Trimble-Pettit, 33, was sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on February 12, after he admitted his dogs were out of control causing the death of 52-year-old Ian Price.
According to Staffordshire Police, Trimble-Pettit’s two XL Bullies - the largest variant of the American bulldog - attacked Mr Price on Main Street, Stonnall just before 3.15pm on September 14, 2023.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.A number of people attempted to get the dogs off Mr Price, but were unsuccessful.
Officers attended the scene and Mr Price was taken to hospital in a critical condition but tragically died a short time later.
One of the dogs died during the incident, and the other was given a lethal injection inside Trimble-Pettit’s flat, where he was later arrested.
The court heard Mr Price was trying to return one of the dogs after it had escaped Trimble-Pettit’s home.
Mr Price’s family remember him as a “beloved son, husband, father, brother, uncle and friend to many.”
“Ian’s final act of trying to return a dog to the safety of its home shows who he was - a selfless man with a big heart. Kind, thoughtful and incredibly brave”, they said in a statement.
“His death leaves a hole in our lives that will never be filled, and he will be forever loved and missed.”
Detective Superintendent Cheryl Hannan, who leads the Criminal Investigation Department, said: “Ian’s death could have been avoided if Trimble-Pettitt took the action that any reasonable person would and secured his dogs properly.
“Ian suffered catastrophic injuries after being attacked and died a short time later,” she added.
“Our thoughts have been with Ian’s family and friends from the moment the incident happened and remain with them today.”
Judge John Edwards said Mr Price was “utterly overpowered by these young, powerful creatures who ravaged him for 12 minutes,” according to the BBC.
Just hours after Mr Price’s death, Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister at the time, announced the XL Bully breed would be banned in England and Wales.
