SHOCKING videos show a convicted drug dealer coaching his roughly 10-stone XL Bully pet to attack strangers.
Alister Ibrahim was this week spared a life-long dog ban after grovelling to a judge – but horror footage found by The Sun shows the thug engaging in controversial bite training.
Clips show the 29-year-old’s large Bully pet – named Taz – being punched in the face while in another he beats a different pooch with a stick while its chained up as part of the training.
Role-play scenarios see the dog encouraged to “attack” a home invader and a “stranger” on the street in a video titled: “Testing TAZ with home invasion and surprise attack in the streets of Croydon.”
Such dog schooling has been described as “scandalous” by a pet behaviourist, amid calls for it to be banned.
Despite his cruelty, Ibrahim told a magistrates court last week he “loves” dogs and a lifelong ban would take a toll on his mental health.
He is currently serving 20 years behind bars after being jailed for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and possession of cocaine and gun ammo at Croydon Crown Court in March.
Ibrahim was caught when police raided his home in Croydon, south London, and found he had sustained a gunshot wound to the leg – initially believed to be self-inflicted, but then adjudged to have been committed by unknown men.
They also discovered drugs, ammunition and Taz – with XL Bully’s banned in the UK since February 2024.
In his latest court appearance over his possession of the dog, he begged a judge to spare him a lifelong ban on owning dogs, claiming the disqualification would take a toll on his mental health when he comes out of prison.
He also insisted he had never mistreated dogs, although The Sun found several concerning clips of him beating them during controversial “bite-training” sessions.
In one clip, he can be seen hitting a dog with a stick while it is chained to a wall.
In another, a man can be seen beating Taz while Ibrahim is “testing” him during a “home invasion” scenario at his property in Croydon – as well as directing the dog to “attack” another man on the street.
Appearing via prison video link at Croydon Magistrates Court on May 8, Ibrahim pleaded with the judge to spare him a lifelong ban on owning dogs, saying: “I love dogs and I train them for a living.
“To be given a lifelong ban will affect my mental stability when I come out of prison.
“I’ve never mistreated dogs and I was trusted with clients’ dogs across the country.
“I rely on my reputation as a dog trainer to provide income for my family.
“My previous convictions have nothing to do with the mistreatment or abuse of dogs.
“I know my crimes were serious but they were nothing to do with owning a dog or mistreating one.”
Ibrahim, who ran the dog training firm Alphapack UK before he was locked up, acknowledged he had made a mistake in failing to neuter or register Taz – as new legislation banning XL Bullies requires.
Aneeka Dhaliwal, defending, said Ibrahim had also assisted police by signing a waiver for the destruction of Taz after the dog was seized.
She branded the prosecution’s request for a lifelong banning order “disproportionate”.
Judge Fleck decided to spare Ibrahim a lifelong disqualification even though she did not believe him to be a “fit and proper person to own dogs”.
She added that firearms were also found at his Croydon property when it was raided in October 2024, although Ibrahim was not convicted of possession of a firearm.
The judge handed the defendant a 25-year ban on owning dogs, although he will be able to apply for this to be lifted after 15 years.
Rob Alleyne, a dog behavioural trainer with decades of experience, told The Sun such “bite training” is “scandalous”.
“That type of training where you’re basically teaching the dog to potentially kill somebody should be banned,” he said.
“These sessions are designed to make dogs more aggressive and impervious.
“That’s why they hit and kick the dogs. It’s all to replicate what would happen if somebody attacked.
“It’s so that if someone tries to kick or hit the dog off, instead of the dog being hurt and backing off like a lot of untrained dogs would do, the dog actually tries to come back at you.
“I get the theory of having a barking dog to deter a burglar. But to teach dogs to injure and potentially kill people, that should be illegal.”
