Call to drop prosecution

The lawyer of a man charged after his dog allegedly caused the death of a newborn baby is hoping police will drop their prosecution.

The man, in his 20s, reappeared in the Hamilton District Court yesterday on a charge of owning a dog which caused death or serious injury to a one-day-old baby in Hamilton.

The baby was attacked by a dog on October 25 last year and died in Waikato Hospital on October 27.

The dog was put down after the owner signed it over to animal control.

The man’s lawyer, Charles Bean, entered a not guilty plea to the charge.

He then told Judge Christopher Down that he was “hopeful that police will reconsider their prosecution”.

Bean also addressed the issue of his client’s interim name suppression and asked that it be extended until his next appearance date.

Police didn’t oppose the suppression and Judge Down agreed to extend it, but told Bean that he would need to file submissions if he hoped to have it granted next time.

The accused was remanded on further bail to reappear for a case review hearing in June.—