Arrests made after XL bully kills nine-month-old baby

Friday, 7 November 2025 12:40

Two people have been arrested after an XL bully killed a baby in South Wales.

They were arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, causing injury resulting in death, as well as on suspicion of child neglect.

The pair, from the village of Rogiet, where the nine-month-old baby boy sustained fatal injuries on 2 November, were later released on police bail, as inquiries continue.

Gwent Police previously said the six-year-old dog was registered as an XL bully with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) before the ban on the breed came into effect. A certificate of exemption was issued in 2024.

Assistant Chief Constable Vicki Townsend described the dog as a male, black XL bully.

She said: "The arrests were made as part of a wide range of enquiries that officers are carrying out to understand the circumstances of the death.

"These enquires are still ongoing and so you will continue to see officers in the area.

"If you have any information or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us.

"I understand that there is a lot of interest about this in our communities, but this is now a live criminal investigation.

"It is vital that people think about how their online commentary, in particular social media comments or posts, could impact the ongoing investigation and the criminal justice process.

"We urge people not to speculate, if you have any information, including information on the dog involved - a male, black XL bully - and its previous behaviour, please contact us directly instead.

"Once again, my condolences and thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragic death, both within the community and further afield."

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Officers attended the South Wales address with paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service at around 6pm on Sunday.

The infant was pronounced dead at the scene. The dog was seized and removed from the property.

Since 1 February last year, it has been a criminal offence to own a dog of the XL bully breed without an exemption certificate.

Justifying the measure in 2023, the government cited "a concerning rise in attacks from these dangerous dogs", attributing 23 deaths to the breed within the previous three years.

As of January, officers had seized more than 4,500 of the dogs since the ban came into effect, according to the National Police Chiefs' Council.

Sky News