An Army veteran who stepped in to break up an attack by an XL bully has criticized the punishment handed to the dog’s owner as “ridiculous.”
Martin Griffiths, 41, a 6ft 5in kickboxing instructor, seized the dog and restrained it until police arrived in Wrexham city centre. The alleged victim, Yasmin Begum, sustained teeth marks on her forehead after the animal grabbed her by the head and snatched her hijab during the August incident in front of Begum’s children.
Last week, Tomasz Wegner, 45, from Acrefair, Wrexham, admitted owning a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury, yet his 15-month prison sentence was suspended for two years.
Griffiths recounted that he was in a cafe with his children when he heard a disturbance outside, with horns blaring, and people shouting. He, a former Welsh Guardsman, feared a terrorist attack or another major incident and rushed outside to see a woman on the ground while a large, stocky, gray-silver dog dragged her by the head.
When the muzzle momentarily came off, Griffiths feared the situation could spiral further. The dog then charged at him, prompting him to move aside as the animal narrowly missed him. He said he realized how dangerous the task could be and proceeded to intervene, grabbing the dog and attempting to release the woman.
“I grabbed the dog and tried to separate it from her as best as I could,” he said. “I was already in the thick of it, so I couldn’t let go. I kept hold and managed to calm it down again.” He also managed to re-muzzle the animal.
Since February 2024, owning an XL bully in Wales and England has required an exemption certificate, with requirements that registered dogs be securely housed, neutered, on a lead, and muzzled in public.
At Mold Crown Court, Wegner initially claimed the dog, named Ari, was not an XL bully and was merely friendly, seeking to greet Begum. He faced the charges but changed his plea just before trial.
Prosecutor Laura Knightly said Begum backed away when she saw Wegner walking the dog due to fear. She reportedly ran into a doorway to escape, and the defendant followed, shouting aggressively at the doorway where she hid. The dog then grabbed and dragged her, removing her hijab and attempting to bite her forehead.
A witness noted Wegner appeared intoxicated, and the incident left Begum traumatised. In a victim impact statement read by Knightly, Begum said Wegner had shouted abuse at her without provocation and, through his actions, indirectly prompted the dog to attack.
Begum stated that her son and daughter witnessed the assault and that she and her children felt extreme fear for their safety.
Defence lawyer Joshua Gorst argued the dog had not previously attacked anyone and that Wegner believed it to be a Cane Corso rather than an XL bully. He described the dog as calm and gentle before the attack and added Wegner had since addressed his alcoholism.
Judge Simon Mills handed Wegner a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and prohibited him from owning a dog for two years. The XL bully was ordered to be destroyed.
Mr. Griffiths has dismissed social-media praise labeling him a hero, stating, “I don’t feel like a hero—I did what anyone would have done in that moment. No one deserves to be attacked like that. It’s shocking.”
Would this case prompt you to rethink how such incidents should be punished or what safety measures are most effective for preventing future attacks?
