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Love Island’s Jack Fincham opens up on ‘testing time’ and reveals new career move after being bailed from jail for dog attack

Jack Fincham has opened up about his ‘testing time’ after he was freed on bail as he appeals his jail sentence for a dog attack.

The Love Island winner, 32, was jailed for six weeks after pleading guilty earlier this week after his Cane Corso mauled a runner in north Kent in 2022. 

And Jack took to Instagram on Friday to share a video saying he ‘really appreciates the support’ from fans as he prepares to take on a boxing fight next month. 

The reality star said he has a ‘lot of weight to lose’ before the face-off but the boxing match has come at the perfect time as he ‘needed something to focus on’ as he hinted at the difficulties.

Jack said: ‘I’ve been training really hard for my fight on March 1 at Harrow Leisure Centre in London, it’s been a bit of a testing time recently.

‘I’d really appreciate the support. A lot of weight to lose in a short amount of time but I’m really glad I took the fight because I really needed something to focus on.

Love Island’s Jack Fincham opens up on ‘testing time’ and reveals new career move after being bailed from jail for dog attack

Jack Fincham has opened up on Instagram on Friday about his ‘testing time’ after he was freed on bail as he appeals his six week jail sentence for a dog attack

The Love Island winner, 32, was jailed for six weeks after pleading guilty earlier this week after his Cane Corso mauled a runner in north Kent in 2022

The Love Island winner, 32, was jailed for six weeks after pleading guilty earlier this week after his Cane Corso mauled a runner in north Kent in 2022

‘Going forward this year there will be a lot going on with the boxing. I will be signing with Warren boxing management and start boxing professionally in England.

‘I’m not too sure I will be fighting in Dubai again.’

Jack won the 2018 series of the ITV2 show Love Island with Dani Dyer but his career has not quite flourished in the same way as Dani’s in the six years since.

Earlier this week, Jack immediately lodged an appeal following his sentencing at Southend Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

He appeared at Southend-on-Sea Magistrates’ Court facing two counts of being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog on Wednesday.

He pleaded guilty to the charges, which included a separate incident involving a woman occurring in Grays, Essex, in June 2024, although no injury was reported on that occasion.

The former TOWIE regular was sentenced to six weeks behind bars after the judge determined handing Fincham a further suspended sentence was not appropriate.

When the verdict was read out on Wednesday, his on-and-off girlfriend Chloe Brockett burst into tears and was ushered out of the court room by his relatives, who were also in attendance.

Jack has now shared a video on social media to say he 'really appreciates the support' from fans as he prepares for to take on a boxing fight next month

Jack has now shared a video on social media to say he ‘really appreciates the support’ from fans as he prepares for to take on a boxing fight next month

The reality star said he has a 'lot of weight to lose' before the face off but the boxing match has come at the perfect time as he 'needed something to focus on' and he is hoping he can go pro

The reality star said he has a ‘lot of weight to lose’ before the face off but the boxing match has come at the perfect time as he ‘needed something to focus on’ and he is hoping he can go pro 

He added: 'Going forward this year there will be a lot going on with the boxing. I will be signing with Warren boxing management and start boxing professionally in England'. Pictured with girlfriend Chloe Brockett

He added: ‘Going forward this year there will be a lot going on with the boxing. I will be signing with Warren boxing management and start boxing professionally in England’. Pictured with girlfriend Chloe Brockett 

Jack’s lawyer told MailOnline previously: ‘We are disappointed that the Magistrates did not find it would be unjust to activate the Suspended Sentence Order.

‘However, the case remains finely poised, and we are optimistic that in the fullness of time, the Crown Court will uphold Mr Fincham’s appeal.’ 

But the former pen salesman has since appealed his prison sentence and has been granted bail pending its outcome.

He was seen kissing his TOWIE partner outside a supermarket as they strolled hand-in-hand along a street in Essex after the trial.

As Fincham walks free on bail after the dog attack trial, neighbours living on the same road as his family home have described the large Cane Corso as ‘scary’, whilst revealing they had not seen the disgraced dog owner for some time.

One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘I’m a bit nervous of dogs anyway, but it is a scary looking dog. He’s quite an intimidating looking dog.’

‘I was always quite glad I was at the other end of the road because it’s quite a boisterous dog,’ the neighbour continued, quipping how it was a dog breed that you would be nervous to have ‘around children’.

‘It’s a fair sized dog I would say and it was the appearance was not very nice,’ they added.

Fincham appeared at Southend-on-Sea Magistrates' Court facing two counts of being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog on Wednesday

Fincham appeared at Southend-on-Sea Magistrates’ Court facing two counts of being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog on Wednesday 

One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: 'I'm a bit nervous of dogs anyway, but it is a scary looking dog'

One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘I’m a bit nervous of dogs anyway, but it is a scary looking dog’ 

Fincham originally shot to fame after winning the 2018 iteration of reality TV show Love Island alongside Dani Dyer , daughter of actor Danny Dyer

Fincham originally shot to fame after winning the 2018 iteration of reality TV show Love Island alongside Dani Dyer , daughter of actor Danny Dyer

Are Cane Corso dogs banned in UK? 

– Cane Corso dogs are currently not banned under UK law, but are considered a ‘status dog’.

– A status dog is one which is considered aggressive or potentially dangerous and is often used a show of wealth or as intimidation.

– Whilst not illegal to own, Cane Corsos can be dangerous without proper training and handling. 

– Cane Corsos, which are typically used as guard dogs, are not recognized by the UK Kennel Club.

– The breed can grow as large as 50kg and be used to hunt and herd livestock. 

Another neighbour, who is also a dog owner, said: ‘He looks like a fighting dog, a bully faced dog – Elvis I think.

‘I think my husband met the dog we’re talking about when he took our dog for a walk.

‘I think he does take orders, but maybe at that time of the attack he didn’t see what happened.

The resident believed Fincham had moved away out of the property but his parents still lived on the road.

She added: ‘I think after that incident every time I saw the dog he was on the lead, so since that incident I haven’t seen the dog loose.’

When Jack’s Cane Corso attacked and bit the runner in September 2022, the victim was originally willing to accept an apology and a caution.

As a result, Jack would have to engage in a course on responsible dog ownership and abide by three conditions – keep the dog on a lead, for the canine to wear a muzzle when outside and for the animal not to be left alone with under 16s.

However, there was another incident in June 2024, where Elvis grabbed the leg and ‘applied pressure’ to the calf of a woman.

The incident transpired when Jack was three months into his suspended sentence, which he had been given for drug driving.

The court also heard that photos were posted by Jack on Facebook showing he had taken Elvis to a pub in Kent, without a muzzle or a lead on, in breach of his conditions.

At the time Jack claimed that because the pub was dog-friendly he did not think it would be an issue.

Ms Anne Wade said on sentencing: ‘Some responsibility has been taken for his actions and note some compliance with probation.’

Should Jack comply by the three stipulations following his release, his dog can be returned to him, the court also ruled.

Jack previously came under fire from his Instagram followers for purchasing the dog from Russia in 2021 because of its cropped ears

Jack previously came under fire from his Instagram followers for purchasing the dog from Russia in 2021 because of its cropped ears

Speaking afterwards, Sergeant Alex Watkins said: ‘Owners have to take responsibility for their dogs, and on these occasions this dog was dangerously out of control.

‘On both occasions the owner was given a chance to rectify their behaviour with words of advice and a conditional caution – however failed to do so, resulting in this sentencing.

‘I thank both victims for their courage during this investigation.’

Jack, who was already serving a suspended sentence for a previous driving offence, was also asked to pay £3680 to the courts, which included a £200 compensation fee to Robert Sudell and a £50 compensation fee to a second victim.

A payment plan was set up for Jack to pay £400 per month upon release from jail.

This latest controversy is another legal blow for the former reality star, who previously sparked a backlash for importing Elvis from Russia in 2021 due to the dog’s cropped ears – an illegal practice in the UK. 

Animal rights group PETA slammed Jack at the time, urging him to use his platform to speak out against cruelty.

Despite the criticism, Jack had publicly defended his pet, recently sharing a photo on Instagram with the caption: ‘My best friend in the whole world. Have a story to tell you very soon. Sometimes I think this country is done honestly.’ 

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