Police called out twice to XL Bully dogs suspected of killing father-of-two

Force says no referral to police watchdog is necessary over past encounters in January and March

Police had been called out twice in the past nine months over concerns about two American XL Bully dogs alleged to have killed a father-of-two in Staffordshire.

Ian Price, 52, was mauled by two dogs in Stonnall on Thursday afternoon, reportedly while defending his mother. He died in hospital that night.

Police have since released a 30-year-old man from South Staffordshire – arrested in connection with Price’s death – on bail, and said their investigation “continues at pace”.

Now Staffordshire Police has revealed that they had previously been called out twice because of the dogs.

“We’re aware of comments about previous contact with the owner of the dogs and would like to share the following details,” the force said in a statement on Friday.

“On 14 January, we received a report involving concern around two XL Bully dogs who were off their lead in a field in Stonnall.

“We went to owner’s address and gave words of advice around keeping the dogs under control whilst in a shared public place. The owner was co-operative and engaged positively with officers.

“Both dogs were in the address at the time and appeared to be calm. They did not show any signs of aggression towards officers.

Ian Price has been named as the man killed in the dog attack (Staffordshire Police)

“On 30 March, we then received reports that two XL Bully dogs had mounted another dog in Stonnall.

“No injuries were caused to the dog or anyone who was in the area at the time. A local shop was damaged after people in the area went inside. A woman’s phone was also damaged. No complaints were made in relation to the incident and no offences were identified.

“The owner of the dog was spoken to by officers around making sure they are under control at all times.

The force said its standards team had reviewed body-worn camera footage of the fatal attack and the previous reports relating to both dogs. It concluded that the material does not meet the criteria for a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) watchdog.

“Our investigation is ongoing and we will continue to provide updates when we can,” the force added.

American XL Bullies have been blamed for nearly half of all recent attacks on humans and other dogs (Getty/iStock)

DNA testing is still needed to confirm the breed of the dogs but expert examination so far indicates they are XL bullies, police said.

One of the dogs died after being restrained and the other died after being injected by a vet.

While the breed has been linked to hundreds of attacks on humans and animals, Price's death prompted a pledge by Rishi Sunak to ban the breed of dog by the end of the year.

The government’s top veterinarian Professor Christine Middlemiss assured concerned owners on Saturday that there will be an “amnesty” approach to the ban, insisting that those who comply with certain rules “will absolutely be able to keep” their pets.