Woman sobs in courtroom as she denies being the proprietor of a dangerously uncontrolled XL Bully that mauled her father-in-law, 65, to loss of life whereas he helped her dog-sit – as she insists the animal was like a ‘pet’ who was simply ‘taking part in’

A woman sobbed in the dock as she appeared in court and denied owning an XL Bully called Cookie which mauled her father-in-law to death at her home.

Keven Jones, 65, took his final breath while saying ‘I’m going’ after he was bitten while dog-sitting.

The former lorry driver had offered to help look after five pet dogs while his son Josh went to watch his team Wrexham play at Wembley in London for a football match.

Ambulance staff desperately tried to save him, but efforts to stop the bleeding in his left leg failed and he was declared dead at his son’s house in Wrexham, North Wales.

Josh’s wife Chanel Fong, 31, appeared in court today accused of being the owner of Cookie, who the prosecution said was ‘dangerously out of control at the time.’

She sobbed in the dock at Mold Crown Court as she said ‘not guilty’.

Mr Jones suffered leg injuries in May 2022 from which he later died after being bitten by the dog.

Cookie, a two-year-old American Bully, was one of five dogs owned by Mr Jones’ son Josh.

Mrs Fong had rushed into the room to tell Cookie to get down from Mr Jones – but then spotted blood pouring from her father-in-law’s leg.

Emergency services rushed to the scene while Mrs Fong carried out CPR, left with her hands covered in blood.

The family said the dog is ‘not aggressive in the slightest’ but likes to play as if it was a small puppy.

Paying tribute, Ms Jones wrote online: ‘I heard Kev say ‘get off me Cookie’ so I went into the kitchen, told Cookie to get down which he did.

‘Anyone who has come into contact with Cookie knows how much of a big fat head play boy he is. He’s not aggressive in the slightest.

‘Just thinks he’s still a small pup and bounces around rather than walk.

‘Kev said ‘He’s got me there’ and as I looked down there was blood pumping from Kev’s leg.

‘I grabbed Cookie’s blanket from his crate to try and keep the wound from bleeding.

‘I carried him to the sofa and called the ambulance. Kev was with me but unresponsive, he grabbed my shoulder and told me he was going.

‘I told him he wasn’t and the call handler told me to lie him on the floor and do compressions. Seven minutes it took for the ambulance service to get to us.

‘It felt like I was doing compressions for an hour. I want to thank North Wales ambulance service, air ambulance, North Wales Police and their special dog handling team.

‘But after working on Keven for 45mins he didn’t take another breath.’

She added: ‘Today has been the worst day of my life. I have had to watch two men who I love so much take their last breath.

‘I can’t shake the feeling of Keven’s blood off my hands and all I can hear in my head is Cookie’s cries. Cookie did not attack Keven, he’s a big boy and plays too rough.

‘Please respect Josh and his family, myself and my family at this absolutely heartbreaking time.

‘Cookie was euthanised in the back garden by a trained vet and the other dogs were checked over by the dog handling team.

‘Our special girl, Fire, was taken as she has an athletic build – however the rest they were happy with and they are all tucked up in bed.’

Judge Rhys Rowlands told Mrs Fong that her trial will take place in October 2025.

She was given bail until then, with a condition she should stay in touch with her solicitors.

An earlier inquest heard how police were called to the house by ambulance staff after the tragedy.

Home Office pathologist Dr Matthew Lyall gave the provisional cause of death as blood loss due to leg injury.

Cookie was sedated by a police marksman before being put down by a vet.