Man allegedly killed after being attacked by a dog in Wakefield named in court
A 55-year-old man is charged with manslaughter
A man allegedly killed after being attacked by a German Shepherd cross was named in court today.
Magistrates heard that James Judge, 55, died on Blacker Lane, Calder Grove, Wakefield, on Saturday, August 15.
His name was revealed as a man accused of killing him appeared before Bradford Magistrates Court.
Farrier Lee Ellis, 55, appeared before District Judge Mark Daley today (Tuesday August 18) charged with manslaughter.
The charge alleges that Ellis unlawfully killed Mr Judge.
He is also accused of being the owner or person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control which caused injury resulting in death.
The animal involved was described in court as an Alsatian cross.
West Yorkshire Police had previously identified the dog seized during its investigation as a German Shepherd.
Ellis, of Blacker Lane, is a self-employed farrier and was represented at the hearing by solicitor Rob Fones.
Manslaughter is an offence which can only be tried at Crown Court and District Judge Daley sent the case to Leeds Crown Court.
Ellis was granted bail on condition that he continues to live at his Blacker Lane address.
He is due to appear at Leeds Crown Court on September 16.
Police received calls from 1.36pm on Saturday reporting an altercation which had taken place a short time earlier on the old trainline footpath off Blacker Lane.
Officers said a man had been bitten by a dog during the incident.
Mr Judge was rushed to hospital in a critical condition but died shortly after 7pm that evening.
The footpath follows the route of a disused railway line through a wooded and agricultural area on the edge of Calder Grove and is regularly used by walkers.
A police cordon remained in place at the entrance to the path on Monday while officers continued their investigation.
The dog understood by police to have been involved was seized following the incident and remains in police kennels.
Detectives had initially appealed for two people who stopped to help the injured man and direct officers to the scene to contact them.
Both have since been identified and spoken to by officers from West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.
Mr Judge's family are being supported by specially trained officers.