Ellie Lawrenson: Jury to continue deliberations

Sep 11 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

The jury in the case of a Merseyside grandmother accused of the manslaughter of her granddaughter will continue working on its verdict later today.

The judge, Mr Justice Royce, took 65 minutes to sum up five days of evidence yesterday before sending out the seven men and five women jurors.

Five-year-old Ellie was killed in the early hours of New Year’s Day when Reuben, her uncle Kiel Simpson’s pit bull terrier, locked his jaws around her body.

Liverpool Crown Court has heard evidence which the judge described as “horrific”. Telling the jurors to be dispassionate and apply common sense, he said: “What the police found when they arrived at the house was a horrific sight - a little girl, aged five, in the care of the defendant, savaged to death by a pit bull terrier.

“This case, by its very nature, provokes strong emotions.

“You may have sympathy for the parents because they have lost a much-loved daughter in terrible circumstances.

“You may have sympathy for the defendant because, as a grandmother, she has lost a loved granddaughter and accepts some responsibility for that death.

“You may find the very circumstances of Ellie’s death horrific. It is of the greatest importance that you put emotions behind you and approach the task with clear heads.”

Ellie’s grandmother, Jacqueline Simpson, 45, denies manslaughter by gross negligence, arguing that she had no idea the dog, Reuben, would attack her.

Jurors were sent home for the evening and will continue their deliberations this morning.