A woman whose XL bully dog killed her 19-year-old cousin in Bristol has avoided immediate prison after being handed an 18-week sentence suspended for 18 months.
Kelcie Reed, 24, admitted being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, causing injury resulting in death, following the attack on Morgan Dorsett at a flat in Withywood on 26 February 2025.
Ms Dorsett, from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, suffered fatal bites to her neck and head, according to a post-mortem examination. The dog, named Prince, was sedated at the scene and later euthanised.
Reed, of Lawrence Weston, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty in May. Alongside the suspended prison term, she was given a nine-month mental health treatment requirement and banned from keeping dogs for 15 years.
Judge Anna Richardson described the case as “utterly tragic” and said the impact on Ms Dorsett’s family had been of “the greatest possible magnitude”.
The judge also warned Reed that she would have to serve the prison sentence if she failed to attend her treatment appointments or complete the requirement during the 18-month suspension.
Avon and Somerset Police said Reed had called officers to the flat to report that her cousin had been attacked by a dog and was not breathing. Morgan was pronounced dead at the scene despite attempts by officers to save her.
In a statement read during the sentencing hearing, Morgan’s mother, Marie Smith, said the family’s grief was “difficult to put into words” and that her daughter’s death had changed the lives of her siblings and wider family.
Morgan’s younger sister, Caelia Dorsett, said she had lost her “best friend” and that the death had had a lasting impact on her mental health.
Detective Sergeant Rich Glanville said the family had shown “great courage” during the investigation and court proceedings. He described the incident as an avoidable tragedy caused by Reed failing to control a dangerous dog.
