A mother whose newborn son was killed by the family pet will no longer go on trial in relation to the incident, a judge has been told.
Elon Ellis-Joynes was 12 days old when he was attacked by a Chow Chow cross at his home in Doncaster on September 13 2020.
Elon’s parents, Abigail Ellis, 28, and Steven Joynes, 36, of Welfare Road, Woodlands, Doncaster, were both charged following the incident.
Joynes pleaded guilty at Sheffield Crown Court in December to a charge of being the owner of a dog which caused death when dangerously out of control.
Ellis denied the same charge and was due to go on trial in July but, on Monday, prosecutors indicated that they will ask for a not guilty verdict to be entered in her case when Joynes is sentenced later this month.
Richard Thyne, prosecuting, said: “Mr Joynes’s plea amounts to clear evidence that he was the owner and he was in control and it was his failings that caused the dog to be dangerous.”
Mr Thyne said this meant there was no longer a reasonable prospect of conviction if the prosecution of Ellis continued.
The judge, Mrs Justice Lambert, bailed both defendants to return to Sheffield Crown Court on March 31, when Joynes will be sentenced.
