A man has been charged over the death of a ‘hero’ 52-year-old who was savaged by two XL Bully dogs while trying to protect his elderly mother.
James Trimble-Pettit, 31, of Fradley, Staffordshire, has been charged with two counts of owning a dog dangerously out of control where death is caused following an incident on September 14.
Ian Price was attacked and killed by the two dogs which jumped out of a neighbour’s window yards from a primary school on Main Road, Stonnall, near Walsall, at 3.15pm.
He reportedly tried to defend his elderly mother from the animals, but he sustained injuries so severe he later died in hospital.
The dogs bit him and ripped the clothes from his body leaving him dying in a pool of blood in his boxer shorts in a horror attack just feet from his home.
Ian Price, 52, from Stonnall in Staffordshire, was attacked and killed by the two dogs which jumped out of a neighbour’s window yards from a primary school on Main Road, Stonnall, near Walsall, at 3.15pm on September 14
Armed police on the scene in Stonnall, Staffordshire, after the fatal attack on Mr Price
Pictured: These are the dogs believed to have been involved in the attack, according to locals. One of the animals died while being restrained; the other was given a lethal injection by a vet
Witnesses said the dogs entered Mr Price’s mother’s garden through a hedge before ‘setting’ on him in an attack said to have lasted up to 20 minutes.
The incident saw air ambulance, paramedics and police officers, including armed response units, called to Main Street in the village.
Now Mr Trimble-Pettit will face two charges before magistrates in September.
Police previously said that DNA testing was needed to confirm the breed of the dogs, but expert examination had indicated they were XL bullies.
One of the dogs died after being restrained and the other died after being injected by a vet.
Just hours after the attack on the father-of-two, then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the XL bully breed was to be banned in England and Wales.
Ownership of XL bully dogs is now restricted under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
Police on the scene in Main Street, Stonnall. Neighbours said that the dogs emerged from a neighbour’s home before mauling Mr Price
Another picture of the dogs alleged to have attacked Mr Price, according to eyewitnesses. Locals say the attack was so violent that the animals tore Mr Price’s clothes from his body
Mr Price with former footballer-turned manager Paul Ince. The local businessman was well known in Stonnall and his wife is a teaching assistant at the nearby school
Ian Price, pictured with Mike Tindall, is said to have stepped in to see the dogs off after they entered his mother’s garden
An armed police officer carrying a rifle is seen patrolling the cordon in Stonnall where Mr Price was brutally killed by the two animals in September
Since December 31 last year, it has been against the law to sell, give away, abandon or breed from an XL bully.
And since February 1, it has been a criminal offence to own an XL bully without an exemption certificate.
In January, the Scottish government announced it would also impose safeguards on XL bullies, similar to those in England and Wales, after the country saw a rise in XL bullies being dumped there.
Following the attack, a witness also told The Sun: ‘It was so awful I can barely talk about it. He was mauled to death and it was just horrendous.
‘One brave man got a big stick and was hitting the dogs and trying to get them off but the dogs just took no notice.
‘Eventually he got one of the dogs off the man and the other ran back through the hedge to its home – but by then it had been going on for 15 to 20 minutes.’
Neighbour Amanda Ward said her student nurse daughter saw Mr Price being mauled two death by the two ‘devil’ dogs.
Police standing guard outside a house in Stonnall, Staffordshire, following the incident
Since December 31 last year, it has been against the law to sell, give away, abandon or breed from an XL bully (stock image)
Amy Bridgewater, 20, described the horrifying attack to her mum, which has left her traumatised.
Mrs Ward, 55, said her daughter, a third-year student nurse, raced to the scene from her home that afternoon after hearing ‘ear-piercing screams’ outside.
Mrs Ward told MailOnline at the time: ‘Amy is still in a state of shock by what she witnessed. It was absolutely horrific and has shaken the whole village to the core.’
Recounting the terrifying ordeal, she explained: ‘Amy heard ear-piercing screams and ran out of that house. She saw the white dog covered in blood and wagging its tail with the other dog nearby.
‘They had ripped the clothes off the poor man and he was lying on the ground with just his boxer shorts on and covered in blood.
‘It was a sickening sight for everyone to see. The dogs were XL Bully types and had both gone mad.
‘Amy said that lots of people were trying to fight off the dogs by shoving wheelie bins against them.
‘The man was lying on the ground, he looked unconscious in just his boxer shorts. The dogs had torn his clothes to shreds, ripping them off his body.’
Mrs Ward added that Mr Price, from Stonnall, Staffordshire, is believed to have been visiting his elderly mother who lives opposite the family home and whom ‘he visited every day.’
It is understood he was savaged by the runaway dogs as he was leaving his mum’s home.
Mr Price’s wife is a classroom assistant at the nearby St Peter’s Primary School which was put into lockdown following the attack. The couple have two children – a son and daughter both at university.
Mrs Ward said: ‘Ian and his family are well known in the village and what happened is a tragedy and everyone is deeply shocked.
‘My daughter knows his wife and is extremely upset by what she saw. Amy would have tried to have administered first aid but by the time she got there it was too late.
‘It was a horrible scene for Amy and other people to witness. It is bad enough to be attacked by one dog, not two.
‘I am so thankful that the Prime Minister has finally agreed to ban these killer dogs. He must make sure we get rid of these horrendous dogs.
‘As a third-year student nurse, Amy is allowed to go out and help administer first aid but she is told she does not have to help in dog attack situations.’
After Mr Price’s death, his heartbroken next door neighbour Matt paid tribute to him, telling MailOnline of his ‘anger’ over the brutal attack and the loss of ‘such a lovely guy’ and a fellow Aston Villa football fan.
Matt, 43, who declined to be fully identified, told MailOnline at the time: ‘This was an accident waiting to happen but it could have been avoided.
‘The dogs should never have been allowed to run free to roam the streets and terrorise the neighbourhood.
‘The same dogs attacked a middle-aged woman out walking her little dog six weeks to eight or so ago. They should have been taken away from the owner or put down.
‘They are killer dogs, ferocious, with huge powerful jaws, and it is such a shame and makes me so angry that it takes someone to be mauled and pass away for action to be taken.’
Matt, a parts supervisor for Merseyside-based Stellantis car plant, told how he had confronted the dog’s owner who lives opposite his home after the previous attack on the woman.
Matt, who last spoke to Mr Price over the garden fence a few days before his death, shared a passion for Villa. He said: ‘We are both fans and I am a season ticket holder and go to all the games but Ian didn’t.
Ian Price, pictured with Claire Balding, was killed in a horrifying attack that lasted up to 20 minutes
‘I always gave him the lowdown. We last spoke two days before he sadly died and he said they lost the last chance but hope they play better against Crystal Palace at home on Saturday.
‘We’d often chat about Villa while I was mowing me lawn. I cannot believe he’s gone in such a cruel way and we’ll never have those conversations again.
‘I feel desperately sad and angry that he should not have been allowed to die in this wat.
‘Complaints were made to the authorities after the last attack but no one cared, nothing was done to apprehend the dogs or the owner.’
In a statement released on Friday, Staffordshire Police said James Trimble-Pettit, of Fradley, near Lichfield, has now been charged.
The short statement added: ‘Ian’s family continue to be supported by specialist officers.
‘Trimble-Pettit is due to appear at Cannock Magistrates’ Court on 5 September.’
