Dog that killed three-week-old boy belonged to his father
Recorder Nicholas Lumley QC says a prison sentence is 'inevitable' for Ryan Young
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A father who has admitted that he owned the dog which mauled his 20-day-old baby to death, is facing jail.
Ryan Young, 32, initially denied owning the terrier-type dog but changed his plea at Newcastle Crown Court.
His son Reggie Richardson died of his injures at the family home in Sunderland on 20 June 2015.The dog was destroyed after the attack.
Recorder Nicholas Lumley QC adjourned sentencing to a future date to allow reports to be prepared. But he said that a prison sentence was nonetheless “inevitable”.
A separate charge of neglect, denied by Mr Young, will also lie on file.
He was granted bail and a psychological assessment will take place before the pre-sentence report.
The baby’s mother was not in court and has not been in the family home since the dog attacked their son
Young's barrister Caroline Goodwin QC said Reggie's death had been an "emotionally devastating chapter" in the family's lives.
At Reggie's funeral service, Canon Provost Sheila Bamber called him "simply amazing in his perfection, absolutely gorgeous, a golden little boy who brought a ray of sunshine into your family."
She added. "Reggie was a contented baby, easy and alert, smiley, but with a pouty face too - a charmer and a bit of a poser from the word go."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments