David’s beloved wife Sharon had died in July 2021, leaving the widower lonely and in need of a companion.Grandmother Esther Martin, 68, suffered unsurvivable injuries after she was set upon by the dogs Bear and Beauty in Jaywick, Essex, on February 3 last year.

British law determines five breeds of dog are illegal to own, breed, sell or give away.The tragic death of Angeline Mahal, in her 50s and from Hornchurch, on May 24 2024 was at least the 13th life claimed by the banned breed in the UK in the three years. 

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Her grieving family said: “She was a much-loved mother, daughter and friend to many and will be sorely missed by all who knew her.”Lonely widower David Daintree, 53, was fatally attacked by an XL Bully he’d been looking after at his home in Accrington, Lancashire, on August 20 last year.

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The ban has so far cost police an estimated £25million in vet and kennel fees alone, according to the NPCC.They added: “Dogs, regardless of breed, can exhibit aggressive behaviour if they are not properly trained, socialised, and cared for.So what are the illegal dogs in the UK and why are they illegal? Here’s what we know.The two adult dogs are said to have launched their attack in a back room as Esther’s horrified 11-year-old grandson fled the property to raise the alarm.

10-year-old Savannah Bentham was mauled to death by her family’s “new pet” inside their caravan near Malton, North Yorkshire, on November 1 last year.It comes after a map revealed the UK’s “danger dog” hotspots with 114 hell hounds seized in a week.It’s believed up to four dogs were present at the time he was attacked.

ESTHER MARTIN

Earlier this year police chiefs warned the Bully legislation won’t be an “overnight fix”.”Instead of focusing on breed, the emphasis should be on addressing the root causes of dog aggression, which generally stem from irresponsible ownership and breeding practices.”Brits killed by XL Bullies since last February… This meant 114 dogs are seized each week across the nation on average.It came after cops issued an urgent warning to dog owners to “step up before someone dies” after 13 horrific attacks in less than 48 hours.

ANGELINE MAHAL

“Tighter breeding legislation and increased resources for enforcement are necessary to combat the rise of illegal and low-welfare breeders who prioritise profit over the well-being of the animals.”South Yorkshire Police said incidents of dangerous dogs included a man left with serious facial injuries and a woman fearing for her baby’s safety.It’s thought Michelle had got Bailey less than a year before her death.

DAVID DAINTREE

“We said all along it was a knee-jerk reaction and that there was an opportunity for real reform in the UK and much better legislation, and this [the data] shows that.”XL Bully owner Sophie Coulthard previously told The Independent: “The PM [Rishi Sunak] said it was important to keep the public safe, but this ban has not kept the public safe.People tend to think of large, vicious dogs when they imagine being bitten by one.But the truth is that many types of dogs are known to bite humans, whether provoked or not.A spokesperson for Dogs Trust said: “We do not believe that banning further types of dog is an effective or sustainable solution to protecting public safety.

NICHOLAS GLASS

Last summer RSPCA’s dog welfare expert Dr Samantha Gaines said: “This current approach is not working, as is evident by these figures, and needs a complete overhaul, not only to better protect public safety but also to ensure good dog welfare.”THERE are specific regulations in place that prohibit certain dog breeds from being owned or bred in the UK.At the end of last year, one of the largest dog marketplaces Puppies.co.uk sent Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to police forces across the UK.A man and a woman, both in their 20s, were arrested following the horror before being released on bail.Esther Martin (February 3, 2024)
Angeline Mahal (May 20, 2024)
David Daintree (August 20, 2024)
Nicholas Glass (August 21, 2024)
Savannah Bentham (November 1, 2024)
Michelle McLeod (December 7, 2024)
Morgan Dorsett (February 26, 2025)

SAVANNAH BENTHAM

Savannah’s family issued a heartwrenching statement released by North Yorkshire Police.”The Dangerous Dogs Act has been in effect for over three decades and yet, hospital admissions due to dog bites continue to rise.She told The Sun: “As soon as I knew it was an XL Bully I told him to get rid of it.”TRAGIC teen Morgan Dorsett is the SEVENTH person confirmed to have been mauled to death by an XL Bully in the last year – as experts admit the ban hasn’t worked.These are an XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro.

MICHELLE MCLEOD

Esther’s cause of death was previously given as “dog bite wounds to the upper right limb”.Which dog breeds are illegal in the UK?“Breed specific legislation fails to deliver what it was designed to do. It has not reduced hospital admissions from dog bites, it has not improved public safety and it has not reduced the number of dogs conforming to the breeds or types it legislates against.”An unnamed family member told the Daily Mail they would “always urge her to give up the dogs” – especially after Esther’s death three months earlier. Under the change to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, it became illegal to own an XL Bully without a certificate of exemption.There have been a total of 11 fatal dog attacks involving any breed since the Government banned XL Bullies on February 1 2024.

MORGAN DORSETT

However, it’s important to remember that just because a breed tends to bite humans, that doesn’t mean that they all do.Nicholas Glass, 32, was found dead in the garden of a relative’s property on Hereford Close in Rednal, Birmingham, in the early hours of August 21 2024.Neighbours told of their shock at the horror inside Michelle’s second floor flat in Aberdeen.His daughter Joanne said she’d begged her dad to get rid of the pet days before his death.It read: “We can’t believe we have lost our wonderful girl who we love so much.”It came after claims the dog had tried to attack a neighbour three weeks before.And Patrick O’Hara, the NPCC’s tactical lead for dangerous dogs, added no forces have reported a reduction in incidents and many are putting in additional staff to cope with the extra demand.

Locals had described the harrowing moment the youngster’s mother ran out screaming “my baby’s dead”.This means more than 60 percent – or nearly two thirds – of such deaths have been caused by the brutes, which are not recognised as an official breed by the UK Kennel Club. Morgan, 19, was killed by an XL Bully dog, understood to be owned by her cousin and weighing over eight stone, in Bristol last week.It found just under 6,000 dangerous dogs had been seized by 27 forces in the 12 months from November 2023.Then-PM Rishi Sunak had announced the ban following a flurry of attacks involving the breed.Two of the dogs were seized by police at the scene and the remaining pair were found following a two day hunt.Meanwhile, Chief Constable Mark Harborough admitted in January the National Police Chiefs’ Council were yet to see any evidence the legislation change had led to a reduction in incidents. The youngster had been happily playing on swings in a park nearby just before the horror.In her post, Kelcie said: “Any1 recommend good trainers around the Bristol area?A post-mortem has since revealed he died as a result of dog bite injuries, cops said.Groups including the RSPCA and Dogs Trust also said the move would not stop the attacks, pointing to a “lack of data” to support such an assumption.The dog’s owner, Kelcie Jones, had asked members of Facebook group XL Bullys and Large Breeds for a Bristol-based expert in November last year due to its bad behaviour.In a statement his family said: “In Nicholas we’ve lost a loving son, brother and uncle who was adored by all of his family and friends.”Young mum Joanne said: “He was lonely because the love of his life was no longer here and he didn’t know what to do with himself.”

The mum-of-two, who had raised the dogs since they were puppies, was found dead in the hallway of her home by her sons after the “awful attack”.Both animals were destroyed at the scene and later confirmed to be XL Bullies.