A man has admitted being the owner of a XL bully which killed his neighbour while it was dangerously out of control.

Ian Langley, 54, suffered fatal neck injuries when he was attacked while he walked his puppy in Shiney Row near Sunderland on October 3 last year.

Christopher Bell, 45, formerly of Maple Terrace, Shiney Row, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog which caused injury leading to death while dangerously out of control in a public place.

Bell, now living in Coltman Street, Hull, was granted bail and will be sentenced on January 27.

The charge named his dog as Titan – “an American bully XL”.

Police shot the dog at the scene to protect the public.

It was understood at the time that another XL bully was taken away by police for public safety.

Neighbours said Mr Langley, who was originally from Liverpool, was walking his Patterdale puppy called Bow when he was attacked.

His puppy bolted and managed to escape and was being looked after by a neighbour in the aftermath of the shocking attack which horrified residents living on the estate.

At the time, Michael Kennedy, also from Shiney Row, said he had known Mr Langley for more than 20 years, and said many people knew him simply as “Scouse”.

He said: “He was a really nice lad, he came from Liverpool, he was a lovable rogue you might say.”

Mr Kennedy added: “He never did any harm, he was not a violent person, he wasn’t a hard man, he wasn’t the type to go looking for trouble.

“He was really thin, he would have no chance against a big dog.”

In a video shared on social media last year, an armed police officer stood on ladders to reach over a fence into a yard and shoot the animal from the road.