Overview

• James Campbell, 50, repeatedly assaulted his 21-month-old XL Bully Zeus at his Harrowby Road home, hitting her with a baseball bat, throwing bricks and pouring water on her in filmed attacks.
• On May 28 at Liverpool Magistrates Court he was handed an eight-week prison term suspended for 12 months, a six-year prohibition on keeping animals, a £200 fine and 10 days of rehabilitation activity.
• Zeus was seized by police in August 2024 and subsequently euthanized by a vet after Campbell failed to obtain the required exemption certificate under the December 2023 ban.
• Campbell’s claim that he acted in self-defence following an alleged dog bite was contradicted by witness testimony and veterinary evidence showing injuries inconsistent with defensive action.
• RSPCA Inspector Anthony Joynes cautioned that the breed-specific legislation is leading to the mandatory destruction of many XL Bully dogs based solely on their appearance.