XL bully barged into Mountsorrel home and attacked mum and dog

Judge William Harbage KC said Ratteray had breached that order, adding: “Frankly, it is beyond me why anyone would want to own a dog like this – and I say that as a dog owner.

“You must be on red alert to keep them under control.”

He told the defendants: “The two of you were negligent in ensuring that dog was under proper control – you allowed it to escape with very serious consequences.

“It could have been a whole lot worse if the dog had got hold of a child.”

Bott, 34, of John Wesley Close in Mountsorrel, and Ratteray, 41, of Oxford Street, Leicester, were ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mrs Mawby and £1,000 to Mr Page.

The pair were also ordered to each complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £610.60 towards the cost of kenneling Cookie before the dog was destroyed.

They were also banned from owning dogs for five years.

Additional reporting by Isaac Ashe