The owner of a pet that savaged his 18-month-old niece to death has admitted breaching a dog ban.

Urfan Ahmed, 33, of Davis Close, Broadfield, Crawley, pleaded guilty to possessing five dogs at a hearing at Mid-Sussex Magistrates’ Court.

Ahmed was initially banned from keeping dogs after his American bulldog Game attacked his niece Zumer at the family home in Cotton Walk, Broadfield, Crawley, in April last year.

The five-year ban was imposed when Urfan admitted keeping a second pet called Shakira, a Dogo Argentino, which was not involved in the attack.

Dogo Argentinos are bred specifically for fighting and the breed is banned in the UK under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

Ahmed pleaded guilty to breaching the court order at the hearing on Friday and was fined £765 for keeping a Staffordshire bull terrier, a cane corso, a presa canario, Neapolitan mastiff and South African boerboel.

He was caught after a Sussex Police officer was advised by a neighbour in February that Ahmed was keeping dogs.

Chief Inspector Steve Curry, District Commander for Crawley district, said: "Sussex Police takes breaches of court orders very seriously. These orders are put in place for a good reason and people who breach them should expect to be brought to justice."