Pit bull attack: Grandmother is acquitted

THE grandmother of dog attack victim Ellie Lawrenson was yesterday acquitted of her granddaughter’s manslaughter at Liverpool Crown Court, as the 45-year-old’s heroin dealing past became public.

Ellie was killed by a pit bull terrier belonging to her uncle, Kiel Simpson, on New Year’s Eve after Jacqueline Simpson let it into her home in St Helens, Merseyside. Ellie had 72 injuries.

In a court banning order, details of Jacqueline Simpson’s past and current drugs charges were not allowed to be publicised.