Mother's Anguish Over Son's Death in XL Bully Attack
The mother of a man who was mauled to death by an XL Bully dog he was looking after is calling for justice and accountability, following a harrowing case that has exposed serious failures in how dangerous dogs are managed in Scotland.
Tragic Discovery in Blood-Soaked Living Room
Scott Samson's remains were discovered alongside the dog in the blood-soaked living room of his home in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, on March 15 last year. The XL Bully, named Mitch, belonged to Neal Stark, 37, who had given the animal to a friend when he was jailed for drug offences in February 2025. That friend then asked Mr Samson to care for the dog while he went on holiday.
Confusion and Heartbreak for Grieving Mother
Mr Samson's mother, Morag, 60, also from Rutherglen, said police initially told her he had died from an accidental drug overdose when his body was found. This left her confused when an undertaker later said she would not be able to see his body and he would require a closed coffin.
'I didn't even get to give my son a final kiss or a cuddle to say goodbye and I didn't even know why,' she told the Daily Record. Morag said her son was 'dead within days of picking the dog up' and that she 'knew something was wrong' when she hadn't heard from him, prompting her to call the police.
Horrific Scene and Delayed Response
When Morag entered the property with officers, they found the dog in the hallway and could see Mr Samson's legs and his black shorts in the living room. Dog catchers were unable to remove the aggressive XL Bully from the house, meaning it was left in the room with Mr Samson's body for another 13 hours. During this time, Morag believes the dog continued to attack him, targeting his 'private parts'.
'To think they left my son lying in a blood soaked room, locked up with that dog for hours after what it had done to him makes me feel sick,' she said.
Inconclusive Post-Mortem and Brutal Details
A post-mortem examination was unable to determine whether Mr Samson was killed by the dog or if he died of natural causes before it mauled his body. The cause of death was inconclusive due to the extensive damage inflicted on his remains.
Morag only discovered the brutal truth when she received the post-mortem report a week after his funeral in April. A pathologist revealed that all that remained of her son's face were his eyeballs, leaving her lying in bed at night wondering what happened to her 'beautiful and kind' son in that living room.
Frustration Over Lack of Prosecution
Morag was reeling with anger when she learned no one will be prosecuted over her son's death, despite police spending thousands of pounds keeping the XL Bully in kennels since the attack. The Crown Prosecution Service told her there isn't enough evidence to prosecute the dog's owner, even though the animal was confirmed by experts as an XL Bully and found to be unregistered—a legal requirement for the banned breed.
'This XL bully ate my son. This evil monster dog ate his face, his throat, his tongue and other parts of his body. And nearly a year on from his death, I'm told the dog is being "well cared for" by police in kennels,' she said.
Systemic Failures and Political Criticism
Four-year-old Mitch has been staying at one of only three kennels in Scotland that boards seized XL Bullys. Police Scotland do not have officers trained to identify banned XL Bully dogs, forcing the force to rely on dog legislation officers from other areas of the UK to assist with prosecutions. A specialist from Cumbria had to be brought in to carry out an identification test, which confirmed Mitch as an XL Bully in July.
Scottish Conservative shadow minister for community safety Sharon Dowey MSP said: 'This deeply troubling case exposes serious failures in how dangerous dogs are dealt with in Scotland, leaving families devastated and police tied up with costly, drawn-out processes. SNP ministers were far too slow to act on XL Bullies, and this failure has left communities less safe while taxpayers foot the bill.'
Current Status and Ongoing Complaints
It is now understood that a destruction order has been issued, and the dog faces being put down, according to the Daily Record. Morag has lodged a complaint with Police Scotland, which is currently under investigation.
A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: 'Having carefully examined all the circumstances surrounding the death, investigations are now concluded.' A Police Scotland spokesperson added: 'We have received a complaint, which is currently under investigation, and it will be responded to in due course.'
Morag continues to question why the 'devil dog' is still alive, why no one is being held accountable, and why authorities are 'protecting' the dog that 'ate' her son, as she seeks closure and justice for her tragic loss.
