Uncle charged over boy's dog attack death

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The uncle of a four-year-old boy who died after being mauled by a dog has been charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act, police said today.

John-Paul Massey suffered multiple injuries when he was savaged by the family pet at his grandmother's home in Liverpool last November.

Merseyside Police said today that the boy's uncle, 21-year-old Christian Foulkes, has been charged with two counts of possession of a dangerous dog, one count of breeding a dangerous dog and one count of giving a dangerous dog as a gift.

Foulkes, of Ash Grove, Wavertree, Liverpool, has been bailed to appear at the city's Magistrates' Court on Tuesday April 27.

Faulkes was initially arrested on suspicion of manslaughter but sources said today the charge was dropped following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.

The animal, named Uno, was described by neighbours at the time of the incident as a "American pitbull" type.

It also attacked John-Paul's grandmother Helen Foulkes, 63, as she tried to protect the youngster, whom she was babysitting at her home in Liverpool.

Mrs Foulkes suffered dog bites to her legs and was expected to make a full recovery.

The dog was killed by police marksmen, who shot it twice after the incident in the early hours of November 30.