Former Love Island winner Jack Fincham has avoided prison after winning his sentence appeal for being in control of a dangerous dog.

The 32-year-old was handed a six-week jail term earlier this year after his black cane corso, called Elvis, bit a runner in Swanley and grabbed a woman’s leg.

However, Judge Samantha Leigh has today (March 21) decided that was not “just” and set aside the custodial sentence.

She instead extended an existing suspended sentence order – that had been imposed for an unrelated driving matter – by three months. The judge did not alter the rest of the sentence.

Prosecutors said Fincham’s dog bit runner Robert Sudell in September 2022 in Swanley causing an injury to his arm.

In June 2024, the cane corso was then said to be out of control and grabbed a woman’s leg, in Grays, Essex, leaving no injury.

Fincham, who is originally from Swanley but now lives in Grays, Essex, previously admitted to two counts of being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog but lodged an appeal against his sentence within hours of receiving it.

He was released on conditional bail on January 29 pending the appeal which was heard at Basildon Crown Court today.

As part of his original sentence passed at magistrates’ court, Fincham was also ordered to pay £3,680, including a £2,000 contribution to kennelling costs, a fine of £961 and £200 compensation to Mr Sudell.

Defending, Richard Cooper, said that the dog incident in June happened when Fincham had “just moved to the property and was bringing boxes in from the car – while he did so the dog slipped out”.

Fincham attended a voluntary police interview and was given a caution with conditions including keeping the dog muzzled and on a lead at all times in public places.

Hannah Steventon, prosecuting, said that in August police attended a hotel “on unrelated matters” and it was found that Fincham’s dog had been in the public pool area and was not on a lead or muzzled.

Mr Cooper said the reality star “had wanted to take his dog somewhere it would have a little more freedom so found online this hotel that specifically marketed itself as dog-friendly”.

He said the defendant, who has ADHD, “believed this was a solution to the problem so he could take Elvis to the hotel, let him off the lead and made no secret of that fact”.

Fincham, who won the 2018 series of Love Island with Dani Dyer, then “let him off the lead at the swimming pool” and “broadcast that to his social media followers, of which there are about two million”, Mr Cooper said.

The judge responded: “It is his own stupidity, then.”

Mr Cooper added: “These are problems of his own making however in my submission there has been remarkable progress.”

He said Fincham has “returned to a nine-to-five job” and has also gone back to boxing but “sees that as something on the side”.

Re-sentencing Fincham to an extension to his suspended order instead of an immediate prison sentence, the judge warned the defendant he needed to be “very careful now”.