Owner of XL bully put down in ‘error’ by Lancashire Police was waiting for call to collect dog
The owner of an XL bully that was mistakenly euthanised by police has revealed he had been waiting for a call to collect the family pet when he instead learned he had been put down due to an “administration error”.
Lancashire Police said it has given the family an “unreserved apology” for euthanising the seized dog, named Bruno, while the owners were in the process of applying for an exemption to keep him.
Bruno’s owner, Connor Halliwell, told Sky News he is “devastated… because I was waiting for him to come home”.
Bruno’s owner Connor Halliwell says he is taking the matter ‘further’
The dog was at a police station for four weeks, during which Mr Halliwell, 27, from Morecambe, tried to contact officers to find out what was happening.
He said: “They went to go and see the dog and do an assessment on the dog and see if he was really good and calm, and he was, so I got a phone call about that, saying, ‘we’ve had some good news about Bruno – he’s been brilliant and passed the assessment’.
“A couple of weeks later, I didn’t have a phone call so I got hold of them myself, and I had to go to a meeting at the police station with a sergeant.”
That’s when he was told Bruno had been put down due to an admin error.
The family were in the process of applying for an exemption to keep Bruno
“I was waiting for messages, emails, saying, ‘you can come and see Bruno now or we can drop him off at your house’. I was just waiting for a call,” he said.
Lancashire Police said it has introduced a process “to ensure the same mistake cannot be made again”.
But Mr Halliwell suggested he was not going to let the matter drop.
“I’m going to take it further,” he told Sky News, adding he would be talking to his MP Lizzi Collinge to see how she could help.
“I’m feeling devastated, upset, and everything else,” he said. “I don’t know how they can get it wrong.”
Mr Halliwell described Bruno as a ‘softie’
He said there was nothing “vicious” about Bruno, and revealed some negative comments had been made about the family pet on social media.
“We’ve had a few comments saying, ‘you should put Bruno with the other dogs that have been killed and shot and stabbed, in a graveyard full of animals’,” he said.
“They don’t know Bruno’s background,” he added, describing the two-year-old as a “softie”.
“He was a big dog, he was a beautiful dog, he was good with kids,” he said.
From 1 February, it became a criminal offence to own the XL bully breed in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.
Anyone who owns one of the dogs must have had the animal neutered, have it microchipped and keep it muzzled and on a lead in public, among other restrictions.
Read more from Sky News:
Woman accused of butchering husband
Bear killed while trying to eat pancakes
Police continue search for missing nurse
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
In a statement, Lancashire Police said: “In August we seized an XL bully dog from an address in Morecambe as part of our powers under the Dangerous Dogs Act, as XL bully dogs are a banned breed.
“A file was being prepared for consideration of the owner being prosecuted for the relevant offences.
“However, unfortunately, due to an administration error, the dog was subsequently euthanised before the court hearing.”
Ms Collinge, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, has demanded answers over the incident.
“This should be a ‘never event’ and I have taken this issue up directly with the police,” she told the BBC.
A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after an elderly couple died following a fire at their home in St Helens.
Peter Eric Greener, 77, known as Eric, and his partner Sheila Jackson, 83, were caught in the blaze at their home on South John Street in the early hours of Tuesday.
Mr Greener died on Wednesday, while Ms Jackson died on Thursday.
Eric Greener. Pic: Merseyside Police
Sheila Jackson. Pic: Merseyside Police
Merseyside Police said an accelerant was used to start the fire.
On Sunday, the force said the suspect from St Helens had been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody for questioning.
Read more from Sky News:
Man tells of dramatic escape from capsized tourist boat
Catching a ‘sadistic’ serial killer
Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson said: “Although an arrest has been made, I would like to take this opportunity to remind people to pass on information directly to police or anonymously via Crimestoppers, and not to comment or post in any way which jeopardises this ongoing work.”
DS Wilson said “extensive enquiries” continue.
She added: “And to that end we are still appealing for anyone with information to come forward, particularly if you live in the area of South John Street and recall seeing or hearing anything suspicious at around the time of the incident.
“Please do not assume what you know has already been reported to us, as we can quickly make that assessment.”
UK
How e-bike riders are doing double the speed limit – and many of them work for fast food delivery firms
It’s lunchtime on Birmingham’s New Street.
Close to its many restaurants, food delivery riders are congregating on their bikes.
The area is packed with shoppers and workers.
PC Paige Gartlan is approaching with other officers. She’s on the lookout for illegally modified e-bikes – and she knows she’ll find them here.
“You can physically tell by looking at the bike that it’s generally going to be illegal – the battery pack is taped on to the sides and generally the size of the motor that’s on the back wheel,” she explains.
Sky News has been invited on an operation by West Midlands Police to find these bikes and get them off the streets.
PC Gartlan has been hit by one before. She’s had to tackle a rider to the floor after he drove into her.
Within minutes, she’s spotted a suspicious-looking bike. The rider makes a run for it – followed by plain-clothed officers.
PC Gartlan tests the bike – it’s showing a top speed of 52km/hr on the speedometer – just over 30mph.
PC Paige Gartlan with a seized e-bike
The speed limit for e-bikes in the UK is 15.5mph when using electric power for assistance.
I look up the street and another two riders have been detained. In less than an hour, officers have confiscated four bikes – all were being ridden by fast food delivery drivers.
The commotion is attracting a lot of attention.
“They are dangerous,” Sandra, who has just finished work, tells me.
Demoz had his bike taken by police
She’s stood watching the riders being questioned. She says she’s had near-misses herself and is worried for the safety of the elderly and children.
It’s not just West Midlands police officers here – immigration officials are carrying out checks too. They’re involved in a nationwide operation, which has seen more than 7,000 arrests in the last year – a 50% increase on last year.
Matthew Foster, the immigration enforcement lead officer for the West Midlands, tells me they’ve already found one individual who has entered the UK unlawfully.
“He’s been detained,” he says, “to affect his removal from the UK.”
Further down the street, police are loading illegally modified bikes on to a van – they’re destined to be crushed. One of them had belonged to Demoz.
Read more:
Non-folding e-bikes banned on London Tube
E-bike and e-scooter crimes soar 730% in five years
An e-bike seized by West Midlands Police
He’s on his way home, carrying a big box with the logo of one of the main fast food delivery firms on it.
He tells me he used to have an illegal bike, but he thought his new one was legal.
“I make a mistake, I have to say sorry, I will do better for the future,” he says.
I get in touch with the big delivery firms; Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat.
Their representatives say they constantly remind workers of their safety obligations, and that they’re all working closely with the government to increase security checks on riders.
As he leaves, Demoz, now bike-free, tells me he’s thinking of changing his job.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike