A man has appeared in court charged with manslaughter over the death of a man who was bitten by a dog on a footpath in West Yorkshire.
James Judge, 55, was left critically injured in an altercation on a disused railway line off Blacker Lane in Calder Grove, Wakefield, at about 13:30 BST on Saturday and died in hospital at about 19:00 the same day.
Lee Ellis, also 55, of Calder Grove, appeared at Bradford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday charged with manslaughter and being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.
Ellis, who was described in court as a self-employed farrier, was bailed to appear at Leeds Crown Court on 16 September.
Rob Fones, representing Ellis, told the court there was “a verbal altercation in regards to right of way”.
Georgina Fishwick, prosecuting, said an initial post-mortem examination had been unable to determine the exact number of dog bites to Judge.
Ellis was not asked to enter a plea to the charges, but Fones said he would be “taking the matter to trial”.
Ellis, who appeared in the dock wearing a grey sweatshirt and tracksuit bottoms, wiped his eyes and nose with a tissue during the hearing.
A German Shepherd dog seized as part of this investigation is being held in police kennels.
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