AN XL bully found “eating a man alive” had to be shot 10 times by armed police before it was neutralised.
The owner denies that his dog, which mauled the pensioner to death, caused injury while dangerously out of control.
John McColl, 84, died from his injuries a month after he was attacked by the dog, called Toretto.
The dreadful incident took place in Warrington, Cheshire, in February last year.
The owner, Sean Garner from Liverpool, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, claiming he took every step he possibly could to make sure the dog was safe.
Garner, 31, says 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.
However, the prosecution allege the dog was not locked inside the shed but was on the patio of the home, with only a latch on the gate preventing it from getting out.
McColl was attacked by the dog when he wandered up the driveway at about 6pm on February 24, and was “eaten alive” prosecutors said.
Parts of McColl’s face were found in the animal’s stomach when vets cut it open, the court heard.
Garner said: “I could never imagine that a man who has been the pub could go up my path on his way home and do what he has obviously done to let my dog out.”
He said he was “devastated” by the incident.
Garner added: “It’s horrible what’s happened to him.
“I’ve got no words to describe what happened to him. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
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.
Garner, who runs a recovery business transporting cars, disagreed that the dog was hungry.
He said: “Someone’s come into his property who he doesn’t know. It’s natural behaviour of a dog.”
David Birrell, prosecuting, said: “Your dog wasn’t guarding the premises, it was eating Mr McColl.”
Garner replied: “He was locked in the shed when I went out.”
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.
Garner said: “I was waiting to find out what had happened.”
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 has previously admitted to two counts of possessing an XL bully without an exemption certificate relating to Toretto and a female dog, called Malibu, found inside the house.
Police didn’t take any chances with the second dog who was also shot dead at the scene.
The trial continues.
