THE family of an 84-year-old man who was eaten alive by an XL Bully as he begged cops for help say they’re still “living a nightmare”.
John McColl was mauled to death by the beast, named Toretto, on a driveway as he screamed for help.
He died from his injuries a month after the attack in Warrington, Cheshire, in February last year, where the dog was found “eating him alive” and had to be shot 10 times by cops.
The owner, Sean Garner from Liverpool, claimed he took every step he possibly could to make sure the dog was safe.
Garner, 31, said the dog was locked inside a shed on the patio outside his home, which had a gate that was secured by a latch and a chain.
But the court heard the dog was only kept in by a gate.
He was found guilty of being the owner of a dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
John was attacked by the dog when he wandered up the driveway at about 6pm on February 24, and was “eaten alive”.
Parts of John’s face were found in the animal’s stomach when vets cut it open, the court heard.
Speaking to Sky News, his granddaughter Kelly said: “He didn’t get to die a dignified death.”
Daughter Joanne said: “There was no empathy, no apology. He only felt sorry for himself.
“There’s going to be thousands of people up and down the country, with their XL Bully by their side, saying ‘my dog wouldn’t do that’.
“And you know what, they’re probably right. They wouldn’t. Because they’re probably loved. They walk their dogs, look after the dogs.
“And that’s how you should. He did not look after that dog. That dog was put outside, that dog escaped.”
Kelly went on to say her son, nine, doesn’t understand why his great-granddad isn’t here.
“They’ll never get over it,” Joanne added.
Garner said in court: “I could never imagine that a man who has been to the pub could go up my path on his way home and do what he has obviously done to let my dog out.”
The court also previously heard that an examination of the dog’s stomach found it had not been given food, which could have caused the hound to become irritable and aggressive.
When police rang him about the incident, Garner did not return home because he was disqualified from driving and did not want officers to see him in a vehicle, the court heard.
Instead, the “coward” let his pregnant partner to return to the house with their two children, which led to police arresting her.
Two days after the attack, Garner handed himself over to police and claimed the dog had never shown aggression.
The court heard that he ran an Instagram page called Little and Large Bullies, used to promote dogs for breeding.
He is due to be sentenced this afternoon.
