I live next door to XL Bully dogs that killed Ian Price – they have attacked before and are so difficult to control

A WOMAN living next door to the XL Bully dogs that killed Ian Price said they have attacked before and are difficult to control.

The dad-of-two, 52, was viciously savaged on Thursday by the beasts as he tried to protect his elderly mum from them after they escaped.

Mr Price suffered catastrophic injuries at the scene in Stonnall, Staffordshire, before tragically passing away in hospital on Friday. 

A woman in the flat above where the dogs live has now recalled the most “awful thing” she’s ever witnessed.

Joanna Thomas, 37, has told The Sun how she used to hear the owner “whacking” the beasts regularly as he tried to discipline them.

She said: “I heard what happened on Thursday afternoon from my upstairs window.

“The owner would sit out in his front garden and I would hear him shouting at the dogs and then the sound of these meaty thwacks being delivered. 

“I have seen those dogs running loose a good few times but I have never seen him taking them for a walk.”

Joanna was looking after her one-year-old baby when the two dogs escaped from their owners house on that fatal day.

From her window she watched their frenzied attack on Mr Price and described it as “the worst thing I have ever seen”.

She said: “I honestly think the dogs got out of the front door, rather than a window.

“These doors are quite flimsy and open easily and if [the owner] forgot to lock it that’s how they could have escaped. 

“I first became aware of a situation when I heard cars honking outside. I think people were trying to distract the dogs.  

“I looked out and I saw Mr Price coming through his mother’s front gate and he was trying to push the dogs out of the garden behind him.  

“But they bit him and brought him down and it was the most awful thing I have ever witnessed. 

“There were lots of people trying to help – mainly three older men.

“One had a stick and two had wheelie bins and they would get the dogs away for a few seconds.

“Mr Price was too badly injured to try and escape and then they would be back on him again. 

“It ended before the police came. One of the dogs went back to its house.

“Someone dragged Mr Price out of the garden and about six people sat on the dog to stop it moving.”

They bit him and brought him down and it was the most awful thing I have ever witnessed

Joanna Thomas

In a statement on Friday evening cops revealed they had been called to the address previously after recieving reports the dogs were “out of control”.

Staffordshire Police said they had twice visited the owner but despite this, they would NOT be referring themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for review.

A spokesperson for the force said: “On 14 January 2023, we received a report involving concern around two XL Bully dogs who were off their lead in a field in Stonnall. 

“We went to owner’s address and gave words of advice around keeping the dogs under control whilst in a shared public place.

“The owner was co-operative and engaged positively with officers. 

“Both dogs were in the address at the time and appeared to be calm. They did not show any signs of aggression towards officers. 

“On 30 March 2023, we then received reports that two XL Bully dogs had mounted another dog in Stonnall. 

“No injuries were caused to the dog or anyone who was in the area at the time. 

“No complaints were made in relation to the incident and no offences were identified. 

“The owner of the dog was spoken to by officers around making sure they are under control at all times.”

The owner, a 30-year-old amateur boxer, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and having dogs dangerously out of control following the death of Mr Price.

He was released on bail on Saturday morning.

Yesterday PM Rishi Sunak pledged to outlaw the breed by the end of the year, saying: “It is clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs, it’s a ­pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on.”