Dog owner sentenced after fatal XL bully attack

A dog owner has been sentenced after his two XL bully dogs fatally attacked a man in a Staffordshire village.

James Harrison Trimble-Pettit, 33, of Fradley, Lichfield was sentenced at Stafford Crown Court today (Thursday 12 February 2026) to five years in custody for two counts of being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control which caused death. He was also disqualified from owning a dog indefinitely. 

Ian Price, 52, was attacked on Main Street, Stonnall by the dogs on 14 September 2023 after they escaped through an insecure door and window from a nearby home.

Despite efforts from members of the public to intervene, Mr Price suffered catastrophic injuries in the prolonged and vicious attack and died in hospital later that day. One dog died during the incident and the other was put down by a vet.

When Trimble-Pettit was arrested following the attack, he claimed he had locked the dogs inside before leaving for work and blamed the housing association for his home being insecure. However, an assessment found the windows and doors were in working order with no faults.

Evidence showed Trimble-Pettit knew his dogs could escape, as they had done so before, and that they could be violent.  In March 2023, both dogs escaped and attacked a woman and her dog in a local shop.

Witnesses described the dogs escaping through windows and gates on multiple occasions. One woman stopped using a local park in January 2023 after Trimble-Pettit warned her his dogs were "not friendly" while they ran off-lead and ignored his commands.

On the day of the attack, there was evidence to show that Trimble-Pettit pushed the window shut from the outside which did not lock it securely.

An expert assessment of his property found that it had inadequate security with poor living conditions, and a garden full of faeces. There was no dog bed, crates or bedding within the house or any toys to stimulate the dogs’ mind.

James Morris from the Crown Prosecution Service said: "This is a tragic case where Ian Price lost his life as a result of the sustained negligence of two XL bully dogs kept by James Trimble-Pettit.

" Trimble-Pettit failed to take heed of warnings that his dogs were dangerous and could escape. He failed to act like a responsible dog owner and kept his dogs in unsuitable and insecure conditions with no proper measures to prevent them getting out. He struggled to control his dogs and knew the danger they posed, yet took no adequate steps to secure them.

“Using witness testimony, CCTV footage and expert evidence, the Crown Prosecution Service built a comprehensive case against him which proved that he was seriously at fault, leaving him no option but to change his plea on the second day of his trial.

"Owning a dog is a significant responsibility and those who fail to control their dogs will be held fully accountable as far as the law allows.

"Nothing can undo the devastation caused to Mr Price's family, but we hope this conviction and sentence provides them with some measure of justice. Our thoughts are with them at this time."