THE grandmother of St Helens dog attack victim Ellie Lawrenson has been acquitted of her manslaughter.

The jury of seven men and five women at Liverpool Crown Court found Jacqueline Simpson, 45, innocent after a six-day trial.

Ellie was killed by her uncle Kiel Simpson's pit bull terrier on New Year's Eve after Mrs Simpson, who had smoked 10 joints and drunk two bottles of wine, let it in.

Hearing the verdict, Mrs Simpson wiped her eyes. Speaking to the jury, the judge said: "This is an unusual case which had given rise to very strong emotions.

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

The jury heard that she was also charged with possession of heroin found in her home after police searched it in the aftermath of Ellie's death.

Mrs Simpson left court flanked by family, friends and her legal team without saying a word.

Asked how she was going to get on with her life and for a tribute to her granddaughter, Mrs Simpson, dressed in her court clothes of a black jacket and trousers, looked down at the ground and continued her 200-yard walk to a friend's car. She was driven away in a silver Nissan Primera.

Colin Davies, assistant district Crown prosecutor for Merseyside, said: "There is no doubt - and it was accepted by the defence - that Jacqueline Simpson owed a duty of care towards her granddaughter. However, the jury by its verdict have accepted that, if there was a breach of her duty of care, it was not such that it amounted to a crime."

He added: "This prosecution cannot, of course, bring Ellie back, but when anyone is killed following an attack by a dog and where there is evidence of a criminal offence, the police will investigate and the CPS will prosecute."

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