Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Chelmsford Crown Court heard that Ruby - the American bulldog that killed toddler Dexter Neal last August - was a rescue animal which was rarely walked, and had shown no aggression towards humans before.

It heard how the dog did not react when Dexter's sister and one of the Dunne children walked past at the house in Halstead, but went for the little boy who was following behind them. 

Prosecutor Kate Davey told the sentencing hearing that the dog may have exhibited "prey behaviour" - which is when a dog is not trained out of its wild instincts to attack.

"At the age of three, Dexter could not read the negative signs and had no chance to get out of the way," she said. 

She added that owner Jade Dunne, pictured, could not reasonably have foreseen the attack. 

The dog was later destroyed as it exhibited "unpredictable behaviour" while in the custody of dog experts.

Steven Levy, defending, said Dunne - a single mother of three - was sorry that "having a family dog has brought about the sad loss of Dexter". 

Ms Davey said the Neal family had installed a tall fence at the foot of their garden after the tragedy, and Dunne had moved away from the area.

Police say they will not put a timescale on the garage block search for Danielle Jones.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Image source, UKIP

The UKIP candidate in Harlow, Mark Gough, has rubbished claims that people should vote Conservative instead in the general election and that UKIP is now irrelevant.

"People are falling for the idea that we are a one-issue party, we're certainly not," he said.

"It took nine months to get Article 50 triggered - and now we're supposed to be entering two years of negotiations. 

"How can we guarantee that we get what the country voted for?"

UKIP lost all nine of its seats on Essex County Council at the recent local elections.

It comes as the former UKIP candidate in 2015, Sam Stopplecamp - called on Ukippers to back Theresa May.

Mr Stopplecamp told BBC Essex that every referendum the public has faced has been massively divisive.

"This is the time when the whole country has to come together," he said.

"We have to give that mandate to our government to say - go to Brussels."

There are five candidates standing in the Harlow constituency: 

• Hannah Clare - Greens
• Mark Gough - UKIP 
• Robert Halfon - Conservatives
• Geoffrey Seeff - Liberal Democrats 
• Phil Waite - Labour

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Image source, Essex Police

The owner of an American bulldog which killed a toddler has been given a suspended prison sentence. 

Jade Dunne, 29, from Kelvedon, admitted owning a dangerously out-of-control dog at an earlier hearing.

Three-year-old Dexter Neal, the child of a neighbour, was mauled in August 2016 after going to Dunne's house in Halstead to play with her children. 

Dunne was sentenced to a year in prison, suspended for two years. She was also banned from owning a dog for 10 years, and told to carry out 100 hours of community service. 

His Honour Judge Khalil said: "Nothing I can do or say can in any way diminish the pain of the Neal family at the loss of little Dexter." 

Chelmsford Crown Court heard how the dog - called Ruby - bit the little boy on the neck several times as well as the back of the head. 

He was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, but had suffered severe blood loss and a cardiac arrest.

Dexter was described as a well-loved child with a sunny nature. 

Kate Davey, prosecuting, said: "Once he was knocked down by the dog he was never able to get up.

"Some movement suggested he was trying to get away from the dog, but because of his size and age it wasn't possible." 

The court heard how Dunne had got Ruby from a dog rescue centre in Essex. 

The animal had shown no aggression towards her own children. 

The court was told that American bulldogs are not a banned breed, but are "controversial".

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

We've just learned that Jade Dunne, 29, from Kelvedon, has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Dunne owned the American bulldog which killed toddler Dexter Neal in Halstead in August.

We'll bring you more on this story shortly.

Essex artists on their hopes for the upcoming election.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

 Here's a quick look at what's making the headlines around Essex today:

• The Basildon Standard, external reports that police have ordered the temporary closure of a home in Southend which had become a drugs den and neighbourhood nuisance. A woman at the flat in the Pennine block of Queensway was also ordered to leave
• A children's charity which was labelled inadequate just six months ago is now celebrating an outstanding rating, according to the Colchester Gazette, external. A fresh Ofsted report for Stepping Stones Play and Learn - which provides care for children of all abilities aged between five and 18 - praised its turnaround
• And Essex Live, external warns us to make sure we slap on the suncream - as the weather will be hotter than Istanbul today. It says Chelmsford has recently been revealed as the third warmest city in the United Kingdom

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Image source, Essex Police

Essex Police are continuing their search for the remains of Danielle Jones - the 15-year-old who disappeared in 2001.

Her uncle was jailed for life for her murder in 2002, but her body has never been found.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Worron, who is heading up the Essex and Kent Serious Crime Directorate, said he was pleased with how the work was progressing at Stifford Clays. 

"As we move in to our second day we will work with a forensic archaeologist to establish where any excavation will be required," he said.

"This search will be thorough and as such I have placed no definite timescales on how long it will take. 

"I am determined to ensure when we leave this location we do so knowing whether this is where Danielle’s body was buried 16 years ago."

Police have taken control of part of a garage area in Stifford Clays in a search connected to the murder of 15-year-old Danielle Jones in 2001.

Detectives say there are 20 plots within a cordon that will form part of the search for the teenager's remains. 

Despite a major murder investigation - and the jailing of her uncle Stuart Campbell in 2002 - the teenager's body has never been found.

The police say they are using ground-penetrating radar to look for anything unusual in the layout within the cordon.

It will help forensic teams concentrate areas for excavation, they say.

Danielle's parents Linda and Tony Jones visited the area yesterday.  

Listen to BBC Radio Kent coverage as Kent face Essex in the One-Day Cup.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Plan for your journey this morning if you're heading westwards on the M25 - there have been queues stretching back 16 miles in some places after an accident this morning. 

The crash happened on the anti-clockwise carriageway near junction 25 for the A10 at Enfield. 

One of the four lanes is currently closed into the Holmesdale Tunnel, with traffic being held for a short time to implement the lane closure.  

Drivers have reported delays as far back as Brentwood.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Essex Police, external, investigating the 2001 disappearance and murder of teenager Danielle Jones, will be giving more detail of the day's plans within the hour.

The investigation into the 15-year-old's death has been reopened - and a search for her body centres on a garage block in the Stifford Clays area of Grays.

Her uncle was jailed for her kidnap and murder in 2002, but he has never said where her body is.

We'll bring you the latest information as we get it. 

A man who lost both his legs in a hit-and-run crash in Newmarket less than a year ago, completed a massive challenge yesterday.

Image source, John Fairhall

Shaun Whiter, 28, was a keen footballer who had played for Soham Town and was due to begin training with Newmarket Town... and he working as an estate agent in Stansted Mountfitchet at the time of the crash.

He's now pedalled 150 miles (240km) by hand, to raise money for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, external, as part of the Ipswich Town FC Tour of Suffolk, external.

He told us: "I went to meet them [the EAAA] the other day, and found out every time they take off it costs £2,500, so that was the goal, to raise over £2,500 so that it could save some else's life, not just mine."

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Image source, Essex Police

Police are returning to a garage block in Stifford Clays this morning - in the search for the remains of the missing teenager, Danielle Jones. 

The 15-year-old was last seen on her way to school in June 2001. 

Danielle's uncle, Stuart Campbell, was convicted of her murder - and jailed in December 2002. But her body has never been found.

Officers have begun a search of a block of garages which weren't looked at during the initial inquiry.

Yesterday, Danielle's parents visited the area. 

Hamish Brown, former detective with the Metropolitan Police, issued a warning on BBC Essex this morning for social media users not to jump to conclusions.

"Rumour control is awful," he said. 

"It gathers momentum and gets back to the parents, relatives and other members of the family. It's very distressing to deal with.

"If you have something to say - go to the police."

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Fifteen community and voluntary groups in Epping Forest are to share a money pot of £30,329 in grants.

Among the recipients are North Weald Airfield Museum Association, external, the Essex Arrows Baseball Club, external - and the Epping Forest Centenary Trust, external, which is getting £2,950 for materials to help people with learning difficulties explore on "discovery days".

Epping in Bloom, external will get £2,000 - Reindeer Explorer Scouts, external £3,000 for new supplies (the picture shows some of their tents)- and Nazeing Common Cricket Club's ground, external will benefit from more than £2,000 towards clubhouse repairs.

Epping Forest District Council says any community group can apply for financial funding here, external. 

Image source, EFDC

With all the general election 2017 candidates' nominations papers in, we've collected together links to where you can find full information from the returning officers on who is standing for election in the seven Suffolk constituencies:  

• Bury St Edmunds, external
• Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, external
• Ipswich, external
• South Suffolk, external
• Suffolk Coastal, external
• Waveney, external
• West Suffolk, external

After quite a sticky start to the day, humid weather will stay with us across the BBC Eastern Region, and we'll have some bright spells as well.

There may be one or two spots of rain first thing, but further east, there'll be some brighter weather, and you might even see some spells of sunshine. 

A dry day, and if the sun comes out, temperatures could go even higher than the predicted 23C (73F).

You may get a bit of rain further west first thing this evening, that will move across the region during the course of the night.

Watch my full forecast here:

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

It's a bright one - it's a warm one - could summer be finally knocking?!

Hope you're having a lovely morning out there. 

We'll be here until 18:00 bringing you all the county's news, travel and sport updates.

And, of course - the all-important weather forecast. That's coming up in a moment from Kate Kinsella.

In the meantime do get in touch in the usual way - by email, Twitter , externalor Facebook, external.

Whatever you're up to - have a great day.

Tattoo artists in Essex sketch out their hopes for the election and are drawn on who they would choose as prime minister.

Don't get left outside on polling day. Here are details of what you need and where you need to go to register for the general election on 8 June: