Drug-dealing grandmother is cleared over the pitbull that mauled Ellie to death

Jacqueline Simpson, 45, was high on drink and drugs when she allowed the banned dog into her home in the early hours of New Year's Day. Moments later, Ellie Lawrenson was dead.

Scroll down for more

But, as Simpson, a convicted heroin dealer, walked free, the judge demanded to know why Simpson's son Kiel, 23, the dog's owner, had not been prosecuted for manslaughter.

Mr Justice Royce also criticised the fact that an earlier complaint about the illegal animal - seven months before Ellie's death - was not acted upon.

"A report of an unlawful dog that's simply ignored is a very, very unsatisfactory state of affairs.

"Suffice to say, the greatest sentence passed in this case is a life sentence of regret that this lady has passed on herself."

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the attack took place at Simpson's home in St Helens, Merseyside, shortly before 4.30am.

Ellie and her younger brother, Josh, then four months, had been staying at their grandmother's house while their parents, Lindsey Simpson, 24, and Darren Lawrenson, 31, celebrated New Year's Eve with friends. The couple, who lived together in Great Sankey, Warrington, had returned to collect their children in the early hours. But Ellie asked to stay with her grandmother and they left.

Scroll down for more

Simpson claimed she then let the dog into her home because it was scared of the sound of fireworks.

Minutes later, the animal attacked Ellie, inflicting 72 separate injuries.

Simpson denied being intoxicated after drinking two bottles of wine and smoking ten cannabis joints while baby-sitting Ellie.

But she admitted responsibility, saying: "I opened the door. I let the dog in - it's my fault."

She knew the dog was dangerous because it had attacked twice before.

On one occasion it bit her daughter, Kelsey, 19. On another, Simpson's neighbour reported the animal called Reuben, to a dog warden after it attacked his Jack Russell.

There was a "family rule" not to let the dog into the house when children were visiting. But the jury believed Simpson's claims that the rule was not strictly enforced and that the dog was allowed inside when Ellie was around.

She was found not guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence. Earlier this year, Kiel Simpson served eight weeks in jail after pleading guilty to owning a breed illegal under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

But as he was not in the house when Ellie died, there was not enough evidence to charge him with manslaughter, the Crown Prosecution said.

Simpson was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in 1989 for drug dealing. After Ellie's death a "small amount" of heroin was found in her home. She had pleaded not guilty to possession of the Class A drug, but the charge was dropped following her acquittal.

Simpson's family has been torn apart since Ellie's death. She has spoken to her son, a convicted drug dealer, just once since then.