Dog that killed three-week-old boy belonged to his father

Recorder Nicholas Lumley QC says a prison sentence is 'inevitable' for Ryan Young

Ryan Young was warned he faces prison (PA Archive/PA Images)

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."