Initial post-mortem findings have emerged following the death of James Judge, the 55-year-old man who was critically injured after being bitten by a German Shepherd during an alleged altercation on a footpath in Wakefield.

The preliminary findings were disclosed as Lee Ellis, 55, appeared before Bradford Magistrates’ Court charged with manslaughter and being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog causing injury resulting in death.

But rather than revealing a completely unexpected or unrelated cause of death, as some dramatic accounts surrounding the case have suggested, the evidence heard in court points directly back to the injuries Judge sustained during the dog attack.

The court heard that an initial post-mortem examination had not yet established exactly how many times Judge was bitten.

However, prosecutors disclosed one potentially crucial finding: a serious bite wound to the back of Judge’s right knee was found to have significantly contributed to his death.

The revelation provides the clearest medical information yet about the fatal incident — while leaving several important questions unanswered as detectives continue investigating exactly what happened on the footpath.

Fatal encounter on an old railway path

The tragedy unfolded shortly after 1.30pm on Saturday, August 15, when West Yorkshire Police were called to an old railway-line footpath near Blacker Lane in Calder Grove, Wakefield.

Police said an altercation involving two men had taken place shortly before officers arrived.

During that confrontation, Judge was bitten by a dog, understood to be a German Shepherd belonging to Ellis.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and Judge was taken to hospital in critical condition.

Despite efforts to save him, his condition deteriorated and he died shortly after 7pm that evening.

Police seized the German Shepherd and initially arrested Ellis on suspicion of murder and being the owner of a dangerously out-of-control dog in a public place causing injury.

The investigation was subsequently followed by different charges.

Ellis appeared before Bradford Magistrates’ Court accused of manslaughter and being the owner or person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.

He has not been convicted of either offence.

Post-mortem reveals significant leg injury

The initial medical findings presented to the court have now added an important piece to the investigation.

Prosecutor Georgina Fishwick told the hearing that the preliminary post-mortem examination had been unable to establish precisely how many dog bites Judge suffered.

That uncertainty is significant.

It means the full forensic picture surrounding Judge’s injuries has not yet been publicly established, and the preliminary examination should not be confused with a final determination containing every medical detail of his death.

What prosecutors did reveal, however, was striking.

The court heard that a bite behind Judge’s right knee contributed significantly to his death.

That finding places particular importance on an injury to the victim’s leg rather than supporting claims that doctors discovered some entirely separate, mysterious cause of death.

No credible reporting from the hearing has established that Judge died from an unrelated medical event.

Instead, the evidence disclosed so far indicates that injuries associated with the dog attack played a significant role in the fatal outcome.

Exactly how the leg wound caused or contributed to Judge’s death has not yet been publicly detailed.

Further medical and forensic evidence may therefore become important as the case progresses through the courts.

What happened before the dog attacked?

The medical evidence is only one part of a much larger investigation.

The circumstances immediately preceding the attack are likely to be central to the criminal proceedings against Ellis.

His solicitor, Rob Fones, gave the magistrates an account of what Ellis says happened.

According to that account, Ellis had been walking two dogs when he became involved in a verbal dispute with Judge concerning right of way on the footpath.

Ellis allegedly walked away after the disagreement.

His solicitor said Judge then followed him.

The situation reportedly escalated when Ellis took out his mobile phone, allegedly intending to record the encounter and provide the footage to police.

His phone then fell to the ground.

A physical confrontation followed.

Fones told the court that Ellis was behind Judge and attempting to restrain him when the German Shepherd attacked.

Those claims have not yet been tested at trial.

They could nevertheless become highly significant because investigators must establish not merely that the dog bit Judge, but the circumstances surrounding the fatal confrontation and Ellis’s alleged responsibility.

Both men reportedly called emergency services

Another important detail emerged during the hearing.

The prosecution said both Judge and Ellis called 999 after the incident.

Judge reportedly told emergency services that he had suffered significant injuries.

Police and paramedics subsequently responded, and Judge was transported to hospital.

Detectives have also appealed for witnesses who may be able to help reconstruct what happened.

West Yorkshire Police previously said two people — including a woman believed to be named Sophie — stopped to assist the injured man and helped direct officers.

Investigators urged them to come forward.

Because the confrontation occurred on a route used by walkers, police have also sought information from anyone who may have witnessed or heard any portion of the exchange.

Such testimony could prove crucial in determining how the disagreement escalated and what happened immediately before the German Shepherd attacked.

German Shepherd remains in police kennels

The dog at the centre of the case was seized following the incident and remains in police kennels.

The animal’s future has understandably generated considerable public interest.

But no final outcome for the German Shepherd should be assumed at this stage.

The criminal case against Ellis is ongoing, and the circumstances of the attack have not yet been fully determined in court.

Likewise, the available post-mortem evidence does not establish why the dog attacked or whether the animal was reacting to the physical confrontation described by Ellis’s solicitor.

Those are separate questions from the medical cause of Judge’s death.

Ellis granted bail

During his appearance at Bradford Magistrates’ Court, Ellis was seen wiping his eyes and nose with a tissue.

He spoke to confirm his identity and address but was not required to enter pleas during the hearing.

His solicitor indicated that the case would be contested and proceed toward trial.

District Judge Mark Daley granted Ellis bail, including a condition requiring him to remain at his home address overnight.

He is due to appear at Leeds Crown Court on September 16.

The charges against him remain allegations, and he is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until proven guilty.

More answers still to come

The preliminary post-mortem findings provide a significant development, but they do not close the investigation.

What has been publicly established is narrower — and more consequential — than the sensational speculation surrounding the case.

The initial examination could not determine the total number of bites Judge suffered.

But prosecutors told the court that a bite behind his right knee significantly contributed to his death.

That is the central medical revelation currently in the public domain.

The next stage of the case is likely to focus not only on the forensic evidence but also on the confrontation itself: how the dispute began, how it became physical, what Ellis did during those crucial moments and how his German Shepherd came to attack Judge.

For Judge’s grieving family, those questions are far more than courtroom details.

They may ultimately explain how an apparent dispute on an ordinary West Yorkshire footpath escalated into a confrontation that ended with a 55-year-old man losing his life — and another man facing some of the most serious allegations of his own.