Dad jailed for four years after out-of-control Chow Chow cross mauled 12-day-old baby Elon to death

THE father of a newborn baby boy who was mauled to death by the family's "dangerously out of control" dog has been jailed for four years today.

Tragic Elon Ellis-Jones was just 12 days old when he was savaged by chow chow cross Teddy at the family home in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.


The tot suffered 40 puncture wounds during the horror attack, which happened when his mum Abigail Ellis, 28, nipped to the toilet.

Ms Ellis and her fiancé Steven Joynes, 36, were charged with owning a dog which caused death when dangerously out of control after the horror on September 13 2020.

Joynes initially denied the charge, but later pleaded guilty, taking full responsibility. He appeared at Sheffield Crown Court today for sentence.

Ms Ellis pleaded not guilty. A planned trial in July has been abandoned after prosecutors indicated that they will ask for a not guilty verdict to be entered in her case.

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Today, a judge heard Joynes moved in with "vulnerable" mum-of-three Ms Ellis following the death of her previous partner, who she had nursed through illness.

Teddy was initially a gift from Joynes' ex to their daughter in January 2019. However, Joynes took the pet when it soon became obvious that the mum and daughter "could not cope".

But the animal failed to settle in its new home.

Richard Thyne QC, prosecuting, said that in the weeks leading up to Elon's death, an "intimidated" neighbour had raised the height of his fence to six feet to stop Teddy coming onto his property.

The dog also bit another child in the family home five weeks before Elon was killed – although a GP was initially told a "stray dog" had caused the injury.

On the day of Elon's death, Ms Ellis briefly put her son down to go to the toilet as Joynes played with another child outside.

NEWBORN BABY MAULED TO DEATH

Teddy then escaped from his pen in the garden.

Another youngster went into the home to discover the growling dog standing over Elon after noticing the animal had vanished.

Mr Thyne told the court: "Abigail Ellis made a distressed 999 call describing that her baby was pale and bleeding. Neighbours also heard the commotion and ran to assist.

"A neighbour saw that the baby was breathing and quietly crying.

"He had big lumps the size of golf balls under his skin that were red in colour.

"Ms Ellis was distraught and Mr Joynes was in a panic saying "I don't know what to do".

MUM'S SCREAMS

The neighbour tried to help, applying pressure to the injuries.

Horrifically, she could feel air escaping from Elon's lungs as he struggled for breath. She also spotted blood coming from his nappy.

Other witnesses heard Ms Ellis' mother screaming: "I told him to get rid of that dog."

When paramedics arrived, one – Chloe Hepworth – recorded dozens of puncture wounds on the baby's body, as well as two cuts to his torso and abdomen.

He was rushed to hospital, but despite the efforts of doctors, died at 4.12pm that day.

Edward Moss, mitigating for Joynes, called the incident "a tragedy by the very definition of the word".

"This is a man who has suffered the greatest loss of all at his own hands," he said.

It was a tragedy waiting to happen… you should never have kept this dog

The couple are still together, but have lost custody of their other children, he said.

"They support each other. They are still together. Their plan is they will get their children back and put this matter behind them," Mr Moss said.

"It's something that he will never forgive himself for."

But Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said Elon's death was "a tragedy waiting to happen" and that Joynes "should never have kept this dog".

He told the defendant: "You knew the dog was unmanageable and had vicious characteristics.

"You had made no attempt to socialise the dog with children. All you did was kick and hit the dog, and put it outside.

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"You took no effective steps to protect any of the children, least of all your 12-day-old infant son."

Teddy has been destroyed.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY…

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