A man who admitted owning what is believed to be an XL bully that injured an 11-year-old girl in Birmingham has been given a two-year suspended prison sentence.

Farhat Ajaz, 62, of Bordesley Close, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Birmingham Crown Court to three counts of owning a dog that caused injury when it was dangerously out of control.

The girl was injured in her shoulders and arms during an attack by a dog named Tyson in September 2023.

Two more people who tried to intervene were injured.

The court heard the dog was “most likely an XL bully”. The attack was one of several across the country before the government announced plans to ban the breed.

During the hearing the judge was told Ajaz had also threatened to kill his former partner during a campaign of harassment.

The court heard he was on a life license at the time of the offenses after being jailed in 1979 and serving 25 years before being released in 2004.

Security cameras showing the dog attacking the girl were played in court. Later images show attacks on people named Numaan Ahmed and Yousef Ahmadzai.

Ekwal Tiwana, in mitigation, described the dog attack as “an act of utter stupidity”.

He told the court Ajaz bought the dog for his son and received a long-term license after being sentenced to 25 years in prison when he was just 15 years old.

Mr Tiwana cited his client’s admission of guilt, his remorse, his efforts to stop the attack and a number of health problems including chest, lung and heart problems, but the judge said the attack was “appalling”.

Judge Heidi Kubik KC said: “You were wandering around the street with the dog, even at that stage you were not in good health and frankly you were not in a position to restrain the dog, which was not muzzled at the time.

“It was an attack on three separate people, including an 11-year-old girl. It was a horrific attack. She was undoubtedly and rightfully horrified.”

The “vile, threatening and abusive” abuse of a former partner in 2022 deserved a prison sentence on its own, the judge said.

The court heard Ajaz suffered from lung disease and heart problems.

The judge said: “Having regard to your plea of ​​guilty and the medical conditions from which you now suffer, I am of the view that it would not be in the interests of justice to send you into custody immediately.”

Ajaz was banned from owning a dog for the rest of his life and was subject to a restraining order.

Last year the BBC reported that the girl was shopping with her older sister when she was attacked.

He started to run, but the dog grabbed his hand. After the animal caught and let go of his arm, it went towards his shoulder and bit him.

Another man, a 20-year-old man, was chased across the garage forecourt before the dog attacked him. He had bite wounds on his forearm and cuts and bruises from being dragged.

A second person who was hit by the dog was also taken to hospital and treated.

A witness who came to help told how he tried to save the girl from the dog and eventually succeeded.

The girl was left with scars on her arm and shoulder.

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