AIDAN LEWIS'S BRUTAL ATTACK IN DUNBLANE LEADS TO YOUTH CUSTODY AND DECADE-LONG DOG BAN

In a tragic incident that unfolded in the town of Dunblane, Aidan Lewis, born around 2004 and residing on Albert Street, became the focus of a serious criminal case after allowing his two large, unleashed XL Bullies to attack a defenseless, blind spaniel named Maggie. The attack, which occurred in the Braemar Park area of Dunblane in March 2024, resulted in the death of the six-year-old dog and has drawn significant attention from local authorities and animal welfare groups alike.

According to reports, Maggie was being walked on a lead by her owner when the attack took place. The owner was in the process of enjoying a routine walk when suddenly, Lewis’s two unmuzzled and unleashed dogs charged towards her and her pet. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with the aggressive dogs running aggressively towards Maggie, who was visibly vulnerable due to her blindness. Lewis was observed shouting at his dogs to come back, but his commands appeared ineffective given the animals’ size and strength.

Prosecutor Tiffany Chisholm recounted that the owner of Maggie saw the XL Bullies heading directly towards her and her pet. In a desperate attempt to protect her dog, she tried to lift Maggie to prevent the attack. However, before she could succeed, the two dogs, Nova and Coco, launched a vicious assault on Maggie, biting her on the neck and stomach. The owner was left screaming for help as the attack unfolded.

Both Lewis and the owner attempted to physically pull the dogs away from Maggie, but their efforts were futile due to the dogs’ formidable strength. Fortunately, a passer-by who heard the screams rushed to the scene. Acting quickly, he managed to place Maggie in his car and, along with her owner, transported her to a nearby veterinary clinic. Veterinarians examined Maggie and found her to have multiple puncture wounds on her neck and muscles, as well as an abdominal hernia. An X-ray revealed additional internal injuries, leading Maggie’s owner to make the heartbreaking decision to have her euthanized to prevent further suffering.

Legal proceedings followed, with Aidan Lewis admitting guilt to charges of allowing his dogs to be dangerously out of control and breaching a dog control notice issued by Stirling Council. The notice had been served only four months prior, after an earlier incident where Lewis’s dogs, Nova and Coco, escaped from his garden and caused serious injuries to another dog. Lewis’s solicitor, Frazer McCready, expressed that his client was “horrified and appalled” by the attack and confirmed that Lewis had since had the dogs put down. McCready also clarified that Lewis did not own any other dogs and had no intention of acquiring more.

In sentencing, the court ordered Lewis to serve four months in youth custody. Additionally, he was banned from owning dogs for a period of ten years, a restriction that will remain in effect until September 2034. The case has sparked discussions about responsible pet ownership and the importance of strict enforcement of dog control laws in Dunblane and beyond.