Jade O’Brien faces consequences for two disturbing incidents within a fortnight

Jade O’Brien has been sentenced to four months in prison following two alarming incidents involving an XL Bully under her care. The attacks occurred just two weeks apart, resulting in severe injuries to a woman and the tragic death of a pet.

The first incident took place in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, where O’Brien, 36, was looking after the XL Bully named Narla for her ex-partner. A woman walking her one-year-old spaniel with her two children encountered Narla, who was dangerously out of control. As the woman attempted to protect her spaniel, Narla attacked her, causing serious injuries to her arms and legs. The victim was forced back into a hedge, and the marks from the attack remained visible six months later.

In the second attack, just two weeks later, Narla targeted a small white dog near O’Brien’s home. The teenage girl walking the dog ran away, fearing an attack on herself, but Narla attacked and severely injured the white dog, leading to its euthanasia. The father of the teenager described the loss of the dog as traumatizing for his daughter.

O’Brien pleaded guilty to two charges of being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog and one charge of using threatening, abusive, and insulting words or behavior. Her defense attorney, Jonathan Condor, stated that Narla belonged to O’Brien’s former partner, who was on remand in prison for allegedly assaulting her. O’Brien, a self-proclaimed dog lover, expressed opposition to putting Narla down.

Despite O’Brien’s claims of being a victim of domestic abuse and having suffered a stroke, District Judge Thomas Mitchell emphasized the seriousness of the case. The judge acknowledged that O’Brien’s circumstances had been imposed upon her to some extent by her ex-partner. However, he deemed immediate custody necessary and sentenced O’Brien to four months in jail.

In addition to the prison sentence, O’Brien received a five-year ban on owning a dog, a £154 victim surcharge, and a destruction order for Narla.

The court proceedings reflect the ongoing concerns about dog attacks, emphasizing the importance of responsible pet ownership and the consequences for failing to control aggressive animals.