Michelle Jones (Image: North Wales Police)
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A 51-year-old woman has been sentenced to more than two years in prison after her two XL bully dogs savaged a neighbour outside his home – and, in a separate incident months earlier, she broke into another neighbour’s house armed with a knife and a BB gun.
Michelle Jones, of Montrose Gardens, Wrexham, was handed a total sentence of 28 months at Mold Crown Court after admitting two counts of being the owner of dogs dangerously out of control causing injury, possession of a bladed article in a public place, and possession of an imitation firearm.
Judge Nicola Jones ruled that only immediate custody was appropriate given the seriousness of the offences. Jones was also banned from owning a dog for life, and both XL bullies were ordered to be destroyed.
The dog attack
On August 29, 2025, nurse Ganesh Rajappan was returning home from work when he heard barking as he reached his front gate. Jones’ two XL bully dogs – named Jersey and Cash – were roaming the street unmuzzled and off the lead.
One of the dogs bit his leg. As he struck the animal to free himself, the second launched what prosecutor David Mainstone described as a relentless attack, inflicting significant injuries.
Mr Rajappan’s wife opened the front door hoping he could get inside, but the dogs forced their way into the property, continuing the assault and also threatening the couple’s 14-year-old son.
CCTV captured the incident. Mr Rajappan was taken to A&E with lacerations to his face, arms, legs and stomach. The damage to his lip was so severe that tissue was lost and had to be surgically reconstructed.
Jones was intoxicated at the time and made no attempt to intervene.
Both dogs held exemption certificates under legislation which made it a criminal offence from February 2024 to own an XL bully without one. However, the dogs were unmuzzled, off the lead, and one had not been neutered – all breaches of the strict conditions attached to the certificates.
The victim’s account
In a statement read to the court, Mr Rajappan described how his life had changed “significantly” as a result of the attack.
He said: “I was attacked by two XL bulldogs outside my home. The dogs followed me and managed to enter my house. They bit my face, arms, legs, abdomen, and other areas of my body.
“I was taken to the accident and emergency department, where I received treatment for numerous lacerations, puncture wounds and scratches. I was administered antibiotics, pain relief, a tetanus booster and was referred for specialist facial care injuries.
“The treatment was extensive and extremely painful. I’m still recovering physically. Even now I continue to experience a lot of pain from the wounds which affect my daily activities.
“Psychologically, this incident has been far more difficult to cope with. Since the attack, I’ve been struggling with fear, anxiety and a constant sense of insecurity. I find it very hard to leave my house, especially alone, as I’m scared of dogs, or being attacked again.
“Normal activities such as walking to my car, or stepping outside, now cause me significant distress.
“I feel constantly on edge. It has affected my ability to concentrate at work, although I had to return to work because I cannot afford to lose my income.
“My wife and children are also deeply affected. My children were home when the attack happened… they are frightened whenever they hear dogs barking and they worry about my safety.
“I took the full force of the attack to protect my family.”
The knife and BB gun incident
Around two months before the dog attack, Jones had targeted another neighbour, Jodie Lloyd.
On May 17, at around 7.30pm, a verbal dispute between the two women in the street turned physical before being broken up. Both parties went home, but Jones threatened Ms Lloyd, saying: “That is not going to end there.”
Approximately two hours later, while Ms Lloyd was in the bath, she was alerted to someone standing at the end of her garden. Jones had broken into the property carrying a knife and a BB gun. Ms Lloyd’s children were asleep downstairs.
Ms Lloyd called the police and Jones was arrested around an hour later. Officers recovered the BB gun hidden in one of her kitchen drawers.
Sentencing
Addressing the firearms and knife offences, Judge Jones said: “The weapon is referred to as an imitation firearm. Well she wasn’t to know that that was an imitation and she was quite terrified.
“She had children in the house. She called the police immediately. You were shouting aggressively at her at this time.
“CCTV recorded not just the BB gun, but also a knife which you were holding. You described that as a cake cutter. It is an item with a bladed element and therefore it’s a knife for these purposes.”
Of the dog attack, the judge said: “Mr Rajappan has suffered considerable psychological stress and distress as a result of the attack. He has described this attack as having a profound and lasting impact on every part of his life. It has also affected his wife and his children.
“At the time, you made no apology. Eventually you got the dogs out of his home address. You, in an interview, claimed the dogs were in your garden, with the gates bolted shut, but there was CCTV showing your dogs were roaming the street, and at the time you were intoxicated.”
Mitigation
Defence barrister Philip Tully asked the court to consider Jones’ early guilty pleas, her genuine remorse, the absence of relevant previous convictions, her struggles with mental health, and that there had been no further offending since August 2025. The court also heard that Jones was a full-time carer for her 20-year-old son, who had a significant brain injury.
Jones was sentenced to 12 months for possession of a bladed article and 12 months for possession of an imitation firearm, to run concurrently, with a further 16 months consecutive for the dog offences – totalling 28 months. She will serve no more than half the sentence before being released on licence.
