On Friday 10 April, Jamie-Lea Biscoe was killed at home by her family pet.
Her dad, Jack, found the 19-year-old collapsed with bite wounds to her neck and was also bitten by their dog, Shy, while trying to save her.
He has since asked police to put both the pet and her two puppies down as he said he doesn’t want to see Shy ‘ever again’.
It’s said that the dog, described as Jamie-Lea’s ‘best friend’, has no history of aggressive behaviour or biting.
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And while laws around owning XL Bully dogs changed in 2024, conversations around ‘dangerous dogs’ have dominated discussions. But as Jack said, their family pet was not the controversial breed, instead believed to be a Lurcher cross.
However, any dog can bite, it is not exclusive to breeds and the UK has tight laws on the subject.
Dangerous Dog Penalties
It is illegal in the UK to let any dog be dangerously out of control anywhere – that includes both public places and private places, including the owner’s home.
A dog is considered to be dangerously out of control if it injures someone or makes someone worried that it might injure them. So this, of course, includes biting them.
It could also be decided by a court that your dog is dangerously out of control if it attacks someone’s animal or if the owner thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog from attacking their animal.
There are various potential penalties for having a dog that is dangerously out of control, including being sent to prison for up to six months or getting an unlimited fine (or both). You may also not be allowed to own a dog in the future and your dog may be destroyed.
If you let your dog injure someone, you may be fined or end up in prison for up to five years (or both). And if you deliberately use the dog to injure someone, you could get a charge for ‘malicious wounding’.
If you allow your dog to kill someone, you can be sent to prison for up to 14 years, get an unlimited fine or both.
In court, the prosecution has to prove that an action or inaction on the part of the defendant led to the dog becoming dangerously out of control.
The Crown Prosecution Service explains: "It is not necessary to prove recklessness or intent. It is no defence that the owner had no reason to appreciate that their dog might behave in this way."
Jamie-Lea’s tragic death
Jack told The Sun that Shy was the ‘softest dog’ and a ‘genuine family dog’ who he thought he could trust ‘with my life’.
“She was my daughter’s best friend and she still killed her,” the dad said. “I lost my entire life on Friday when my daughter was murdered by another member of my family.
"Witnessing the horror and destruction it has caused me, it’s not worth it. Treat them as dogs, give them their beds, be careful.”
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper of Essex Police said: "Our thoughts remain with all those who knew and loved Jamie-Lea. Her young life has been so tragically cut short.
"Our detectives are continuing to work around the clock to establish exactly what happened, and specialist officers are continuing to support Jamie-Lea's family.
"This is unimaginable for her loved ones and friends, and, as such, I would ask people to respect their grief and privacy at this extremely difficult time. Our officers remain at the scene, and anyone with concerns or information can speak with them there or contact us in the usual way."
Dog attack statistics in the UK
Despite the UK government putting measures in place to try and curb the rise of fatal dog attacks, such as an official ban on the XL Bully breed, there were three reported deaths related to this breed in 2025, The Guardian reports, as well as two dog-related deaths in 2026.
Dog attacks have also risen significantly, with over 31,900 incidents recorded in England and Wales in 2024 alone, the BBC reports.
Jess Battison