Walker dies from ‘injury complications’ from dog bite near UK landmark

James Judge was 55 years old when he died last month following dog bite – Lee Ellis has now been charged with manslaughter in connection to the incident

A man bitten by a dog on a footpath died from complications of a wound on his leg, an inquest opening has heard.

James Judge, 55, died after an incident on the old train line footpath off Blacker Lane near the Crigglestone Viaduct, a grade-II listed railway viaduct some 80 metres tall and nearly 400m long, in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on August 15.

Lee Ellis, 55, of Calder Grove, Wakefield, has been charged with manslaughter and being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death. On Monday, an inquest into Mr Judge’s death was opened and adjourned.

Acting senior coroner Oliver Longstaff said Mr Judge died in Leeds General Infirmary, where he was taken after the incident, and was identified by his mother.

A post-mortem examination gave a provisional cause of death as complications of a right leg wound caused by a dog bite. The inquest heard Mr Judge was unmarried and was born in Horbury, Wakefield, where he was also living at the time of his death.

Mr Longstaff said the inquest would be adjourned, pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.

“Whether an inquest is required to be resumed cannot be answered until the conclusion of that process,” he added.

Ellis is due to appear at Leeds Crown Court on September 16. During his first appearance at Bradford Magistrates Court, his solicitor said the incident started over an argument about “right of way”.