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An army veteran who intervened to prevent a woman from being attacked by an XL bully dog has criticized the sentence handed down to the dog’s owner as “ridiculous.” Martin Griffiths, 41, a kickboxing instructor standing 6ft 5in tall, managed to restrain the dog and keep it under control until police arrived at the scene in Wrexham city centre. The victim, Yasmin Begum, suffered teeth marks on her forehead and had her hijab forcibly removed during the attack last August.
Mr. Griffiths recounted how he had been sitting in a café with his children when he heard a disturbance outside, characterized by loud noises and shouting. Concerned initially that there might have been a terrorist attack or significant emergency, the former Welsh Guardsman rushed outside to find Ms. Begum on the ground, being dragged by the dog by her head. The animal was described as a large, stocky dog with a silver chocolate coat, and at one point, the dog’s muzzle came off, escalating the danger. When Griffiths moved closer, the dog lunged at him, but he evaded the attack and then managed to grab the dog, holding it firmly to calm it down and even managed to replace its muzzle.
Legal proceedings revealed that since February 2024, owning an XL bully without an exemption certificate is banned in Wales and England. Such dogs must be securely contained, neutered, kept on leads, and muzzled in public. At Mold Crown Court, Tomasz Wegner, 45, from Acrefair in Wrexham, initially denied owning a dangerously out-of-control dog but later admitted guilt shortly before trial. Wegner maintained the dog, named Ari, was not an XL bully and claimed it was merely friendly and attempting to greet Ms. Begum. Prosecutor Laura Knightly detailed how Ms. Begum tried to evade the dog by running into a doorway but was aggressively followed by Wegner and then attacked by the dog, which tore off her hijab and tried to bite her forehead. The court also heard that Wegner appeared intoxicated during the incident and that Ms. Begum was left traumatized.
In court, Ms. Begum’s impact statement spoke of the abusive behavior by Wegner without provocation and how his actions indirectly caused the dog’s attack. She expressed deep concern for her personal safety and that of her children, who witnessed the event and were frightened. Defense counsel Joshua Gorst argued that the dog, previously calm and gentle, had never attacked anyone before and that Wegner believed it to be a Cane Corso, not an XL bully. He also noted Wegner’s progress in managing his alcoholism. Judge Simon Mills sentenced Wegner to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years, and disqualified him from owning dogs for two years while ordering the destruction of the XL bully. Despite praise on social media calling him a hero, Mr. Griffiths downplayed the commendations, stating, “I don’t think I’m a hero, I just did what I believe anyone would have done in that situation. No-one deserves to be attacked like that. It’s shocking.
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