Terrington St John man James Manning avoids jail after his XL Bully left woman fearing for life in brutal attack

A man whose XL Bully punctured a woman’s arm and left her fearing for her life has narrowly avoided jail.

James Manning, 51, of Main Road in Terrington St John, was sentenced at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday following the brutal dog attack in June last year.

He previously pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control. The court heard Manning had been using the bathroom when his pet escaped the front garden and attacked the woman.

A harrowing victim personal statement outlined the physical and emotional distress the incident has had on her.

She believes she would have lost her life were it not for a passer-by who was able to drag the dog from her by placing a belt around its neck.

Magistrates handed Manning a 26-week jail sentence, but suspended it for a period of 12 months.

He will also complete ten rehabilitation activity sessions and pay £500 in compensation for the woman’s injuries.

The victim, who was walking her own dog at the time, said: “The subsequent physical and emotional trauma has changed my life in ways I never thought possible. I thought I was going to die.”

Her statement said she has permanent scarring as a result of the attack and the following surgery, while her clothes were left “shredded” and “blood-soaked”.

“Emotionally, it continues to be a hard battle,” it added.

“Every time I leave my house, I experience flashbacks of this terrible attack. I feel terrified.

“Walking my dog is now a nightmare when it used to be a pleasure.”

However, in mitigation, solicitor Alison Muir argued: “It may be that she has made a better recovery than the victim personal statement would suggest.”

Ms Muir told the court that Manning had rescued the XL Bully and trained it well, always ensuring it wore a muzzle when out on walks. It would frequently play with his children.

“The dog was trained to stop when it was asked to stop. It was well trained,” she said.

On the day of the attack, Ms Muir said, a friend visited Manning’s home, bringing their own French Bulldog along. It was the Bulldog which originally became involved in an altercation with the victim’s dog.

It was only then that the XL Bully ran from the property and attacked her.

“Obviously, it is devastating, what has happened,” Ms Muir said.

“But to his credit, he felt that as it had bitten someone, he couldn’t live with it and had to put it down.”

The solicitor pointed out that the police, RSPCA and social services have since visited Manning’s home to ensure he is fit and able to keep dogs. None have raised any concerns.

“My client is obviously very upset with all that has happened,” she added.

She also said that photographs have been shared of the victim walking her dog past Manning’s address since the attack.

The victim is seeking more than £1,800 in compensation from Manning, covering the likes of travel expenses for hospital trips, vet bills and damaged AirPods.

However, magistrates opted only to cover the £500 for her injuries, as she is also instigating civil proceedings against Manning which could see her claim the remaining amount.

The bench also decided that Manning is a “fit and proper person” to look after dogs, and made no order preventing him from owning them.