Overview
- Sophie Zaherali, 31, was convicted of owning a dangerous dog and of a public communications offence and was ordered to pay £614 and complete a 24‑month community order with 40 women’s services sessions.
- South Yorkshire Police said officers would not apologise for prioritising public and officer safety, calling the consequences of lax dog ownership catastrophic.
- Police said armed officers shot Ghost after the dog ran at them in Hillsborough on December 7, 2024, following reports it had bitten a woman and acted aggressively toward another dog walker.
- District Judge Tim Spruce found Zaherali’s culpability low due to a faulty door lock and her attention being on a child with autism and epilepsy, and he noted her behaviour was driven by grief.
- After the shooting, Zaherali posted images to try to identify the firearms officer and later said the legal fight was only the beginning.