A DOG owner has become the first known person in Britain to be prosecuted for breaching the XL Bully ban.
Patrick McKeown failed to apply for an exemption for the dog and get it neutered in line with the February 1 legislation.
Officers found the animal in the 40-year-old's back garden when they visited his home in Worthing, Sussex, for a different matter.
McKeown, who also failed to get the dog third party insurance, warned cops it would attack anyone who went near it.
Police obtained a warrant and seized the XL Bully - leading to its owner appearing in court for breaching the ban.
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McKeown admitted one count of possessing or having a fighting dog, contrary to the Dangerous Dog Act.
He was made subject to a one-year community order, ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs and a £114 surcharge.
Magistrates issued an order to destroy the dog pending an appeal.
Chief Inspector Simon Starns, from Sussex Police, said: "This was one of the first cases of its type to be prosecuted in Sussex.
"It demonstrates to the public that owners have a responsibility to ensure that they comply with the new laws which are now in force.
"We continue to work closely with partners to ensure dogs are kept safe through responsible ownership and to reduce the risk to the public.
"We continue to ask all dog owners to comply with Government guidance on the ownership of the XL Bully breed of dog.
"This includes ensuring that all XL Bully breed dogs are muzzled and kept on a lead held by someone aged over 16 when in public places."
On February 1, it became a crime in England and Wales to own an XL Bully without a certificate of exemption.
To apply for a certificate, owners had to prove their XL Bully had been neutered.
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Around 40,000 XL Bully dogs are understood to have been registered before the law changed - although there are fears thousands are still on the streets without certificates.
XL Bullies were said to be responsible for 20 per cent of dog attacks in 2023.
High profile killings included ten-year-old Jack Lis, who was killed by an XL Bully in Caerphilly, South Wales, while visiting a friend in 2021.
The following year, one-year-old Bella-Rae Birch was mauled to death at her home.
In February, gran Esther Martin, 68, was fatally attacked by the breed - days after the ban came into force.
