XL bully owner pleads guilty after dog savaged and killed neighbour known as 'Scouse'

A man whose out of control XL bully savaged and killed his neighbour has pleaded guilty to being the dog's owner. Ian Langley, known by his neighbours as "Scouse", died of his injuries in hospital after he was attacked by the XL bully in the Shiney Row area of Sunderland shortly before 7pm on October 3 last year.

Christopher Bell, 45, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court this morning, Monday, November 18 where he pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog which caused injury leading to death while dangerously out of control in a public place. Bell, now living in Coltman Street, Hull, was granted bail and will be sentenced on January 27.

Mr Langley, 54, had been living in Sunderland for around 20 years but was originally from Wavertree. His family previously told the ECHO that the dad-of-one had been walking his Patterdale terrier puppy Beau at the time of the incident. His puppy bolted and managed to escape and was being looked after by a neighbour in the aftermath of the shocking attack which horrified residents living on the estate.

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The XL bully called Titan was shot by police officers at the scene to protect the public. In a video shared on social media last year, an armed police officer stood on ladders to reach over a fence into a yard and shoot the animal from the road. It was understood at the time that another XL bully was taken away by police.

Linda Blyth, an eyewitness who lived on Maple Terrace - the same road as both Bell and Mr Langley, told the PA news agency: "We were told, 'go in, shut your doors' and then I heard the gun shot. I don't know what set the dog off, everyone is speculating." She added that a friend of hers had just visited the XL bully that lunchtime and told her: "It's soft as clarts."

Bell was initially arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He was later re-arrested on suspicion of murder, before the ECHO revealed in September that he had been charged with being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.

At the time, Michael Kennedy, also from the Shiney Row area, said he had known Mr Langley for more than 20 years, and said many people knew him simply as "Scouse". He said: "He was a really nice lad, he came from Liverpool, he was a lovable rogue you might say."

Mr Kennedy added: "He never did any harm, he was not a violent person, he wasn’t a hard man, he wasn’t the type to go looking for trouble. He was really thin, he would have no chance against a big dog."

Mr Langley's family previously told the ECHO: "It's all been a bit of a shock. It's not something you'd ever expect to happen to your own people." They added: "Ian had been living in Sunderland for at least 20 years but was still really close with his family. He split with his partner a couple of years ago and had been living a bit of a different life."