Warrant issued for arrest of XL bully owner whose dog injured 11-year-old girl

Farhat Ajaz, 61, who previously admitted owning a dangerously out of control dog, failed to turn up at Birmingham Crown Court for sentencing.

Farhat Ajaz outside Birmingham Magistrates’ Court in February (Matthew Cooper/PA) (PA Archive)

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of an XL bully owner whose dog injured an 11-year-old girl in Birmingham after he failed to appear in court for sentencing.

Farhat Ajaz, 61, pleaded guilty in March to three counts of owning a dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control following an incident in Bordesley Green on September 9 last year.

A girl, whose identity is protected by a court order, suffered shoulder and arm injuries in the attack by the dog, named Tyson, while two men were also injured after the dog allegedly broke free from its collar twice.

Ajaz, of Bordesley Close, Birmingham, was due to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday, but he did not show up for the hearing.

The case was adjourned until Wednesday at 2pm, where Judge Samantha Crabb issued a bench warrant not backed for bail after accepting an application for one by prosecutor Robert Cowley.

It means that if arrested, Ajaz will be held in custody to appear for sentencing.

Defence counsel Andrew Baker said there was a GP note explaining Ajaz was “unfit for work for a considerable time”, but Judge Crabb said she could see no reason why Ajaz could not attend court for sentencing.