Armed help plea over killer dog

Ellie suffered severe head and neck injuries

A policeman called to a house where a dog had just killed a child radioed for urgent armed back-up in case the animal attacked him, a court has heard.

Sergeant Paul Hudson said the floor of Jackie Simpson's St Helens home was awash with blood from her five-year-old granddaughter Ellie Lawrenson.

In a statement read out at Liverpool Crown Court he said he feared the dog would smash through a window.

Ms Simpson denies manslaughter through gross negligence.

In her police statement, which was read to the jury, Ms Simpson said that the "surreal" attack lasted for between 20 and 25 minutes and that she was "wrestling all over the room" with the dog to make it stop.

Drugs cocktail

She told the interviewing officer she had thought the pit bull terrier was unpredictable, adding that every time she now closed her eyes she "relived" the attack.

The court heard that Ms Simpson had been babysitting for Ellie on New Year's Eve but had taken a cocktail of drink and drugs, mixing wine, marijuana, sleeping tablets and anti-depressants.

The living room floor was laminated and awash with blood Sgt Paul Hudson

The jury was told Ms Simpson would have had about 140 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in her system at the time of the fatal attack. The limit for driving a car is 80 milligrams.

Sgt Hudson described the dog as being covered in blood and in a "frenzied" state following the attack at Ms Simpson's house on Knowles House Avenue in the early hours of New Year's Day.

"I heard the dog in the garden and was concerned for our safety if it got in.

"The dog's chest was red with blood," he said in his statement.

"It appeared frenzied, barking and baring its teeth at me. I was worried that it could run at the window and easily break the glass.

"The living room floor was laminated and awash with blood. It was as though it had been washed with blood."

The jury of seven men and five women were told earlier in the trial that Ms Simpson had broken a family rule by letting the dog, called Reuben, into the house when Ellie was visiting.

The court has been told that Reuben had been banished outside whenever the youngster visited as it had attacked two people, including Ellie's aunt, in the months running up to her death.

Ellie suffered more than 72 injuries when the dog locked its jaws around her throat in the living room. It was later shot dead by police.

The case continues.