A nine-month-old baby boy was mauled to death by his family's XL Bully dog while staying at his father's home in Rogiet, South Wales, just days before the breed ban came into effect. Jonte William Bluck suffered a compressive head injury consistent with a dog bite and died before reaching hospital.
An inquest opened at Gwent Coroner's Court heard that the infant was fatally bitten on November 2, 2025. The dog, a six-year-old male XL Bully, was registered with Defra and had a certificate of exemption issued in 2024. It was euthanised following the attack.
Two people, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s, were arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death, as well as child neglect. They have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.
The XL Bully ban in England and Wales came into force on December 31, 2023, making it illegal to breed, sell, rehome, or abandon these dogs. Owners were required to register for an exemption certificate and muzzle their dogs in public. The ban followed a campaign by the Daily Mirror.
Assistant Chief Constable Vicki Townsend of Gwent Police urged the public not to speculate and to contact police with any information about the dog's previous behaviour. The inquest has been adjourned until August 4, 2026.
