A man whose dog killed his younger brother has been jailed for four-and-a-half- years. Dog owner Gary Stevens, whose Cane Corso cross mauled his younger brother Wayne Stevens to death in a “horrific” attack at their home, has been jailed at Derby Crown Court for four-and-a-half years.
Sentencing Stevens, whose eight-stone Cane Corso killed his 51-year-old brother Wayne Stevens in April 2023 at their home in Normanton, Derby, Judge Shaun Smith KC said police and paramedics called to the scene were faced with “obstructive and abusive” behaviour after a false claim the dog was a poodle.
Judge Smith, who heard that father-of-three Stevens had been drinking heavily before the “frenzied mauling” occurred shortly before a 999 call at 5.52am, told him he had “no control over the dog whatsoever”.
The judge said: “I am entirely satisfied that you clearly knew of the dangers this dog presented prior to that fateful night.
“There was a lack or loss of control of the dog due to the influence of alcohol.”
During his sentencing remarks, the judge accepted that witnessing the death of his brother and being unsuccessful in saving him was likely to have affected the defendant’s mental health.