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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Ellie's grandmother accepts blame | Ellie's grandmother accepts blame |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Ellie Lawrenson's grandmother has told a court that she was responsible for the five-year-old's death after she was mauled to death by the family dog. | Ellie Lawrenson's grandmother has told a court that she was responsible for the five-year-old's death after she was mauled to death by the family dog. |
| Jackie Simpson, 45, was baby-sitting Ellie when she let the pit bull terrier into her house on Merseyside. | |
| It attacked the child causing 72 injuries. Asked if she accepted blame, Ms Simpson said: "Yes, because I let the dog in." | |
| Ms Simpson, from St Helens, denies manslaughter by gross negligence. | |
| "If things had gone the way they should have that day I wouldn't have had the kids anyway. I opened the door and it's my fault. I never thought the dog would do anything to Ellie," Ms Simpson said. | "If things had gone the way they should have that day I wouldn't have had the kids anyway. I opened the door and it's my fault. I never thought the dog would do anything to Ellie," Ms Simpson said. |
| Cross-examining her at Liverpool Crown Court, Neil Flewitt QC, said: "You let that child down, didn't you?" | |
| "Yes," she answered. | "Yes," she answered. |
| Ms Simpson admitted consuming two bottles of wine and smoking 10 cannabis joints on the day of the attack. | Ms Simpson admitted consuming two bottles of wine and smoking 10 cannabis joints on the day of the attack. |
| Tormented dog | Tormented dog |
| Earlier she told the jury that the dog, a pit bull terrier called Reuben, had been kicked, punched and tormented by members of her family. | |
| Kiel was in a mood and punched and kicked the dog. He then left the house... he punched him in the head and kicked him on his back leg, the dog yelped. Jacqueline Simpson | Kiel was in a mood and punched and kicked the dog. He then left the house... he punched him in the head and kicked him on his back leg, the dog yelped. Jacqueline Simpson |
| Ms Simpson said her son Kiel had once lashed out at Reuben shortly before it bit Ellie's aunt, Kelsey. | Ms Simpson said her son Kiel had once lashed out at Reuben shortly before it bit Ellie's aunt, Kelsey. |
| Speaking about the attack on Kelsey, the defendant said her son Kiel, 24 - who in April pleaded guilty to owning a dangerous dog - punched and kicked the animal 10 minutes before it bit her. | Speaking about the attack on Kelsey, the defendant said her son Kiel, 24 - who in April pleaded guilty to owning a dangerous dog - punched and kicked the animal 10 minutes before it bit her. |
| She said: "Kiel was in a mood and punched and kicked the dog. He then left the house, I had never seen him do that before. He punched him in the head and kicked him on his back leg, the dog yelped." | She said: "Kiel was in a mood and punched and kicked the dog. He then left the house, I had never seen him do that before. He punched him in the head and kicked him on his back leg, the dog yelped." |
| On other occasions, Ms Simpson said Kelsey herself had tormented the animal. | On other occasions, Ms Simpson said Kelsey herself had tormented the animal. |
| Family rule | Family rule |
| She denied that she had broken a family rule by allowing the dog inside her home where he attacked Ellie. | She denied that she had broken a family rule by allowing the dog inside her home where he attacked Ellie. |
| Ms Simpson said she had no reason to suspect any danger if the pit bull terrier was allowed inside. | Ms Simpson said she had no reason to suspect any danger if the pit bull terrier was allowed inside. |
| She admitted that she knew Reuben was a powerful, banned dog. But she denied worrying whether St Helens Council would discover the banned dog in her home and said a vet told her son Kiel that Reuben needed behavioural classes. | She admitted that she knew Reuben was a powerful, banned dog. But she denied worrying whether St Helens Council would discover the banned dog in her home and said a vet told her son Kiel that Reuben needed behavioural classes. |
| Mr Flewitt asked her: "You have a strong, powerful dog you know is banned by the law - a dog that should have but wasn't getting behavioural classes - and you knew that in the summer of 2006?" | Mr Flewitt asked her: "You have a strong, powerful dog you know is banned by the law - a dog that should have but wasn't getting behavioural classes - and you knew that in the summer of 2006?" |
| "Yes," she replied. | "Yes," she replied. |
| Mr Flewitt said if she considered Reuben's exceptional strength and previous attacks, she must "have realised it could have killed a five-year-old girl". | Mr Flewitt said if she considered Reuben's exceptional strength and previous attacks, she must "have realised it could have killed a five-year-old girl". |
| Ms Simpson replied: "I wouldn't have thought it could have done that to a baby it had grown up with." | Ms Simpson replied: "I wouldn't have thought it could have done that to a baby it had grown up with." |
| The dog was later shot dead by police. | The dog was later shot dead by police. |
| The case was adjourned until Friday, when lawyers will make their closing speeches. | The case was adjourned until Friday, when lawyers will make their closing speeches. |
| It is thought the jury will retire to consider its verdict on Monday. |