Overview

• James Harrison Trimble-Pettitt pleaded guilty at Stafford Crown Court to two counts of owning dogs that were dangerously out of control causing death.
• He initially tried to limit his culpability as a “momentary lapse in concentration” before admitting the offences in full during a trial of issue.
• The court scheduled sentencing for 5 January 2026.
• Ian Price, 52, was attacked on 14 September 2023 in Stonnall after two XL Bully dogs escaped a property, with one dying at the scene and the other later euthanized by a vet.
• Mr Price’s family thanked passers-by, emergency services and hospital staff for their efforts, while Staffordshire Police said the death was avoidable.