Dog bite victim died of wound complications

A man bitten by a dog on a footpath died from complications of the wound to his leg, an inquest opening has heard.

James Judge, 55, died after an incident on the old train line footpath off Blacker Lane in Wakefield on 15 August.

A post-mortem examination gave a provisional cause of death as complications of a right leg wound caused by a dog bite, Wakefield Coroner's Court heard.

Lee Ellis, 55, of Calder Grove in Wakefield, is charged with manslaughter and being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death. He is due to appear at Leeds Crown Court on 16 September.

Acting senior coroner Oliver Longstaff said Judge died at Leeds General Infirmary, where he was taken after the incident, and was identified by his mother.

The court heard Judge was unmarried and was born in Horbury, Wakefield, where he was also living at the time of his death.

Longstaff said the inquest would be adjourned, pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.

"Whether an inquest is required to be resumed cannot be answered until the conclusion of that process," he said.

When Ellis initially appeared at Bradford Magistrates' Court, his solicitor said the incident started over an argument about "right of way".

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