A man whose dog mauled one of his neighbours to death admitted in court that he failed to muzzle it because the animal didn’t like it.

Aaron Joseph, a semi-professional footballer, is on trial at Leeds Crown Court accused of being the owner of a cross-breed Staffordshire bull terrier type bitch called Alex while it was dangerously out of control. He denies the charge.

The court has heard that 52-year-old victim David Ellam, who lived in the same block of flats as Joseph in Riddings Road, Sheepridge, died after Alex somehow escaped from her pen and attacked him.

The tragedy happened on the morning of August 15, 2016, and was witnessed by several distressed people who were too scared to approach the dog to try to save Mr Ellam’s life.

Alex, a bull terrier-type dog, alleged to have attacked and killed David Ellam in Riddings Road, Sheepridge, in August 2016.

Joseph, 30, of Hopkinson Road, Sheepridge, had previously been issued with a control order on October 9, 2012, by Kirklees Magistrates’ Court after it had bitten council workman Josh Sykes several months on March 19.

The incident was reported to Kirklees Council which investigated the attack and told Joseph to undertake several conditions, including muzzling Alex at all times in the open air and to keep her on a lead in public places.

Joseph, a one time courier and engineer and father-of-three, took the stand and was asked about his failure to muzzle the animal in the open air as demanded by the court.

He told his counsel, Katherine Pierpoint, he didn’t do so because “she would sit there and scratch it off her face. It’s not that I couldn’t be bothered. She used to sit there and scratch it off.”

The court also heard about Joseph’s delight about getting his dog back from police after it was seized from him following concerns it was a banned breed.

David Ellam and his Yorkshire terrier Rolo

He said: “I was told it was not a prohibited dog and dangerous. It felt like a huge weight off my shoulders that it was not dangerous and a banned breed. I had to go through six weeks of not having her.”

Judge Sally Cahill QC interjected: “Who told you that dog was not dangerous?”

Joseph replied: “The police officer that I got my dog off. I’m sure 100% he said it was not dangerous.”

Sadly the dog attacked Mr Ellam just days after police returned it to him.

Earlier the court heard that Mr Ellam, a former lollipop man and keen Huddersfield Town fan, was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary following the attack.

But medics were unable to save his life and he died at 8.59pm the same day.

The court heard a post mortem was carried out which revealed the cause of death to be loss of blood and multiple injuries resulting from dog bites.

The trial continues.