Police officer shoots "dangerous and out of control" XL Bully three times with shotgun as owner brands killing "cold-blooded murder"

The shooting of an XL bully dog by police has been branded "cold-blooded murder" by the animal's devastated owner. A police marksmen shot the dog, named Ghost, four times after reports of a dangerous dog on the loose.

The dog - who was three years old and weighed in at nine stone - did not injure anyone, but was shot as it ran towards a police officer during the incident, in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Now, Ghost's owner, Sophie Zaherali, has hit out at the force after her pet was shot four times after it escaped from her house and neighbours called 999.

However, a hearing at Sheffield Magistrates' Court this week heard officers were acting on orders the dog had attacked people, before shooting. After a three-hour trial, District Judge Tim Spruce found Sophie, of Wisewood, Sheffield, guilty of being the owner of a dog that was dangerously out of control.

The 30-year-old also pleaded guilty to malicious communications against the police officer who had shot her dog dead, for a series of messages placed on social media following the incident.

But after the trial, she said the shooting was unnecessary, adding: "Ghost was innocent and they murdered him in cold blood. - they had no reason to shoot him. He wasn't acting dangerously, even one of the officers said so. I'm still heartbroken about him, but this is a small victory in getting justice for my Ghost."

The court was told police received a number of 999 calls on December 7 last year - including some claiming people had been injured - after Ghost escaped from the family home and was loose in Dyke Hall Road, with no muzzle and no lead. Justin Bullas, prosecuting, told the court there had been an exemption certificate for Ghost, as a banned breed, but it had lapsed as evidence he had been neutered had not been provided.

He said Ghost had got out of the house while Ms Zaherali was dealing with a medical emergency involving her child, who was having a seizure, and the door had not closed properly. She was unaware that Ghost was out until a neighbour shouted after gun shots," Mr Bullas said.

She had described Ghost as being like her baby, and how people would pose for pictures with him because he was so big.

Two people made 999 calls to the police, and an armed response unit was sent to the scene. When officers arrived, Ghost was close to two people, with a witness describing how the dog jumped up near them, as they stood with their hands crossed over their chests in a "defensive position".

Connie Coombs, defending, put it to witnesses the stance could have just been to keep warm on a December afternoon.

Mr Bullas said when the police armed response unit arrived, officers got out of their car and one of them shouted a warning to the couple to move away from the dog, which then moved towards him, and another officer.

The officer who shot Ghost - who was granted anonymity by the court - fired three times at the dog with a shotgun. He then used a pistol to end its suffering, near the junction with Dunella Road.

One witness who gave evidence to the court behind a screen told how he had been driving in the area and had seen a grey and white dog "jumping up" on its back legs at two women, who he said had were holding two small dogs above their heads to try to keep them away from the animal.

Both of the officers sent to the scene were shown 17 seconds of video footage taken from body cam of the officer who shot Ghost. The second, under questioning from Ms Coombs, agreed Ghost had not appeared to be acting dangerously during the footage.

But he said they had to make a split second decision as the dog approached, and that the information they had was that it had attacked people.

After hearing all of the evidence, Mr Spruce said Sophie's case met the threshold of the definition of "dangerous and out of control" laid out in the Dangerous Dogs Act, whether or not he injured someone. He adjourned the case for pre-sentencing reports, but told Ms Zaherali he was not considering a custodial sentence.

Sophie is now calling for the government to implement The Ghost Act, which will not allow officers to use firearms without properly assessing the dog. The act will also look to ensure officers are prosecuted if they wrongfully shoot a dog.

She also said she is still waiting for Ghost's body to be returned to her, claiming she has been led on by officers on many occasions for when she may get him back. "We just want to put him to rest and ensure nothing like this never happens again," she said.