Dog that bit boy ‘down to the bone’ in horror Leeds garden attack ordered to be destroyed

The 17-year-old was badly mauled by the powerful XL Bully – a large American breed of dog – which refused to let go of him as other children frantically tried to force him off.

The boy, who was left with life-changing injuries, later said the dog locked its jaws on his leg for “about six minutes”.

The owner, mother-of-eight Paula Ellis, admitted owning a dog that was dangerously out of control that injured a person.

No expert reports were submitted to the courts about the the male dog – Rudi – which was just 13-months-old at the time. The judge at Leeds Crown Court, Recorder David Gordon, told Ellis that destruction of the family pet was “inevitable”.

He added: “It seems to me, given what the dog did with no or limited provocation, the only proper thing to do, to ensure the safety of the public in future, is to order the destruction of Rudi. It gives me no pleasure to impose this order.”

Ellis was given a 10-month jail sentence, suspended for 24 months, and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work. She was also banned from keeping dogs for the next five years.

Prosecutor Emma Handley said that the victim was a friend of one of Ellis’ children who came to the house on Winrose Garth at Belle Isle on February 10, 2021.

With Ellis out of the house, the visitor asked to see the dog. Despite concerns over Rudi having recently killed the family’s pet cat, the dog was let into the garden from his cage.

After circling the boy, he then attacked and bit his arm. He was able to wriggle free from the dog’s grip, but it then locked onto his leg.

During this time, three of the children present tried to call the dog off, hitting it with dog toys. It eventually let go, but then went for the boy’s neck. He was able to lift his arm up to protect himself and is hand ended up in the dog’s mouth.

A wooden mallet was then thrown at the animal and an adult male was able to release the boy.

The emergency services were called and the teenager, who was drifting in and out of consciousness, was taken to hospital. It was noticed that he was covered in small fragments of muscle and fatty tissue from his forearm and lower leg.

There were multiple bites, including a 10cm wound which was “down to the bone”.

The boy needed plastic surgery and muscle grafts to his calf. He is still awaiting further surgery. He still suffers from insomnia, depression and PTSD.

Mitigating for 40-year-old Ellis, Ian Hudson said that she had left the house that day with her youngest children and locked the dog in its cage.

He said: “One wonders what more she could have done in the circumstances.”

The judge said he wanted to order Ellis pay compensation, but was unable to because she was reliant on state benefits.