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Man jailed for attacking woman with hammer and stealing pet bulldog

A Nottingham man has been jailed for 17 years for beating a woman to the ground with a hammer and stealing her pet bulldog.

Julian Mead, 41, set upon the victim outside her house on Bells Lane, Aspley, while wearing a balaclava.

As the woman tried to run, he hit her in the head, then repeatedly struck her as she lay on the road.

She suffered a punctured lung, broken shoulder blade, fractured hand, and broken ribs and teeth.

At some point during the incident, her English bulldog, called Winnie, was stolen from the home and led away.

The woman was forced to crawl across the road while injured until her partner was able to intervene.

The dog has not been seen since the attack, which happened on the night of October 1, 2024.

Mead, of of Welstead Avenue, Aspley, was arrested soon after. He was found guilty of committing grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of an offensive weapon and burglary following a trial in April at Nottingham Crown Court.

He was given an extended jail sentence of 17 years when he appeared at the same court on Thursday (June 26).

Detective Sergeant Paul Crofts, of Notts Police, said: “This was an isolated but extremely violent attack on a woman as she left her home.

“It appears Mead had a previous grievance against the victim and chose to turn up outside her home armed with a dangerous weapon, attack her and steal her pet dog.

“The victim was left with some very nasty injuries, and given the ferocity of the blows the outcome could have been even more serious.

“Despite attempts to trace Winnie, she has not been recovered so I’d urge anyone with information about her whereabouts to get in touch without delay.”