MAGISTRATES have ordered the destruction of a Carlisle woman’s dog after it was confirmed that it was an illegal XL Bully.

Police seized the dog after neighbours reported seeing it running loose in the city’s Runnerstone Court area of the city near to the Bedstone Place home of its owner, 49-year-old Julie Sewell.

The incident happened on March 31.

At the city’s Rickergate court, Sewell pleaded guilty to illegally having custody of an XL Bully without an exemption certificate.

Owning an XL bully “fighting dog” in England Wales has been banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Prosecutor George Shelley outlined the facts of the case.

“The dog was identified as belonging to Mrs Sewell,” said Mr Shelley. “She took the dog into her home address.

“When spoken to by the police officers, she confirmed that she was the owner of the dog, which was called Blaze. She had not applied to have the dog exempted.”

An expert later confirmed that Blaze had all the characteristics of an XL Bully and was therefore deemed to be of that breed.

The defendant’s criminal record consisted of 80 previous offences, Sewell’s most recent conviction being for a public order crime. There was also a relevant offence – a conviction that was pursued under the Dangerous Dogs Act in 2017.

The court heard that Cumbria Constabulary were claiming kennelling costs of £1,500.

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Appearing before the court via a video link, Sewell told magistrates that she is housebound and had not realised Blaze was an XL Bully.

“I thought it was a mix of breeds,” she said.

When told that if she wanted to save Blaze, she would have to commission an expert’s report on the dog at a cost around £200, and also convince the court that she is a “fit and proper person” to own her, Sewell said she would not object to a destruction order.

Magistrates fined the defendant £80, with costs of £85, ad a £32 victim surcharge. Combined with the £1,500 kennelling fees, she now owes the court £1,697.