XL bully owner spared jail over fatal Bristol attack
A woman has been spared jail after her XL bully killed her teenage cousin in Bristol.
How it was covered
- BBC One was the only channel found covering it.
- Channel 5, BBC Two, Channel 4 and ITV: not found in tracked broadcasts.
- BBC News, GB News and Sky News: covered online, not found on air.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story. Facts only one channel reported are attributed to it.
Kelsey Reid, 24, from Bristol, has been given an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, after her XL bully dog killed her teenage cousin, Morgan. The attack happened on 26 February 2025, when Morgan, who had moved to Bristol just four days earlier, was at Reid's home. The pair were due to go on a spa day together, but Reid had taken cocaine, which is thought to have triggered a seizure. During the seizure, she began screaming, and the dog, called Prince, attacked Morgan. Reid tried to intervene, getting between the dog and her cousin, and was left covered in bruises and scratches. Emergency services were called around 7.30pm, but Morgan was pronounced dead at the scene.
The court heard that Prince had a certificate of exemption, which is required for XL bully ownership, but that the dog had previously killed another dog. The animal was humanely destroyed after the attack. Morgan's mother, Marie Smith, had earlier spoken to Panorama, saying: "The legislation doesn't work. My daughter wouldn't be dead now if it did work." She described the dog as weighing more than Morgan and going for her neck.
In court, the case was described as complicated because Reid and Morgan were family. Reid was sentenced for owning a dangerous dog that caused death, but the judge spared her immediate imprisonment. The 18-week sentence was suspended for 18 months, reflecting the tragic circumstances and the close family relationship at the centre of the case.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| Kelsey Reid received a suspended sentence for owning a dangerous dog that had previously killed another dog and held a certificate of exemption. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC One West focused on the human tragedy behind the sentencing, giving detailed court evidence and emphasising the family relationship between the owner and the victim. It highlighted the victim's mother's criticism of the legislation and the dog's history, while also noting the dog had a certificate of exemption. The tone was sympathetic and factual, with no political commentary beyond reporting the mother's words.
- “24-year-old Kelsey Reid from Bristol was given an 18-week sentence suspended for 18 months.”
- “The dog and XL bully was humanely destroyed. It was called Prince and today in court, we heard that it had previously killed another dog.”
- “The legislation doesn't work. My daughter wouldn't be dead now if it did work.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.