The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Dog to be destroyed after attack
YouTube star pledges to appeal following sentencing
YouTube star Deji’s beloved dog Tank will be destroyed after it attacked a grandma at the family home.
Deji Olatunji - brother of fellow YouTuber KSI - was at home in Holme with his mum, Olayinka, on July 23 last year when Tank, a German Shepherd, attacked the woman, biting her in the leg twice, and a man who was not injured.
Deji, who has nearly 10 million subscribers on YouTube, and Olayinka appeared at Cambridge Crown Court, where Judge David Farrell said CCTV footage of the attack showed the dog to be ‘completely out of control,’ and ordered Tank to be destroyed.
Judge Farrell also ordered Ms Olatunji to pay £8,000 compensation, and complete 80 hours unpaid work.
Deji was fined £2,500, while both were also ordered to pay £5,845 kennelling costs and given a restraining order from contacting the victims for four years.
Following the sentencing, Deji appeared in an emotional video on his YouTube channel, and said he would be appealing against the verdict to try and save Tank’s life.
He said: “He was such a crazy hyperactive dog. I loved him to bits. I still do love him.”
Deji (22) made his name on the video sharing site, publishing computer game videos and practical jokes he plays on friends and family. Some of the pranks included Tank, who was a nine month old puppy at the time of the attack.
Deji pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, while his mum admitted being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control which caused injury.
Charles Falk, prosecuting, told the court the victim was visiting her family who live next door to the Olatunji family. A package had been delivered and the victim went to knock on the family’s door to pick up the parcel. As she was leaving through the automatic gates Tank escaped from the house, running up to the woman, and biting her thigh.
The woman escaped through the gates but was followed by Tank. Ms Olatunji followed and tried to stop the attack, but the victim was bitten again. A relative of the victim then arrived, and while Tank bit him, his legs were protected by heavy duty trousers. Deji’s father then arrived to pull the dog away.
The victim was taken for treatment having suffered a number of puncture wounds to her leg. Days after the incident she collapsed after it was believed the wound became infected.