Relatives of John McColl have described the trauma of his injuries and their experience in hospital. The dog’s owner was convicted following a trial, as police highlight the wider impact of the incident.
John McColls, 84, tragically died in February of last year after being attacked by his neighbor’s XL Bully dog in a Warrington driveway. The sustained assault lasted approximately 45 minutes, resulting in catastrophic injuries that led to McColls' death one month later. In court, Liverpool Crown Court prosecutors detailed that the attack occurred while McColls, who was simply walking home, accidentally wandered onto his neighbor’s driveway. Neighbors reportedly attempted to intervene using household items in a desperate effort to pull the dog away.
The presiding judge, Judge Brian Cummings KC, described the suffering McColls endured as “unspeakable” and noted that he must have been in “absolute agony.” Following the conviction, the dog's owner, Shaun Garne, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control. Garne also pleaded guilty to owning XL Bully dogs without exemption certificates, despite the breed being subject to restrictions introduced in 2024. During the proceedings, the court addressed conflicting accounts regarding how the animal escaped, including claims it had been secured in a shed, which prosecutors characterized as absurd.
Simon Mills of the Cheshire Constabulary noted that in his 28 years of service, these were the worst injuries he has witnessed. He emphasized that the incident, which traumatized everyone involved, serves as a stark reminder that such attacks can happen to anyone, whether they are a child playing with a ball or a delivery driver. Following the sentencing, McColls' family expressed their devastation, noting they were left with no remorse, no empathy, and no apology from the owner.
For his part, Mills expressed frustration with some of the public reaction on social media, where some users have engaged in victim-blaming. He stressed that regardless of why McColls wandered onto the driveway, the fundamental fact remains that the dog was not properly secured.
