Schoolboy Jack Lis suffered ‘unsurvivable’ injuries to the head and neck, inquest hears

A schoolboy died from ‘severe injuries to the head and neck’ after being attacked by a savage dog, an inquest has heard.

Jack William Lis, 10, was killed by the dog after calling into a friend’s house after school.

A coroner heard his injuries were ‘unsurvivable’ with a pathologist giving the provisional cause of Jack’s death as severe head and neck wounds.

The inquest in Newport heard Jack was outside his house in Penyrheol, Caerphilly, where he had been ‘playing with a friend’.

The two then went to his friend’s home in a neighbouring street after classes on Monday when the dog attack happened.

Jack Lis, pictured, suffered unsurvivable injuries to the head an neck after he was attacked by a dog on Monday in Caerphilly, his inquest heard

The hearing heard Jack was attacked by a dog after he entered a friends home. Police later destroyed the dog, pictured

Coroner Caroline Saunders said Jack’s death had been ‘violent and unnatural’. She adjourned the inquest pending the outcome of a criminal investigation

Caroline Saunders, senior coroner for Gwent, said: ‘Upon entering the home Jack was attacked by a dog’.

The court heard paramedics were called but Jack’s injuries were ‘unsurvivable’ and he was pronounced dead just after 4pm.

Jack was identified by family photos provided to the mortuary manager at the Royal Gwent Hospital.

Miss Saunders said the circumstances surrounding Jack’s death were ‘violent and unnatural’ and so formally opened an inquest into his death.

The inquest heard a 28-year-old woman has been arrested over the death

The coroner then adjourned the inquest for ‘further inquiries’ to be made and it will be resumed at a later date.

The powerful eight-stone dog which savaged schoolboy Jack had only been with his friends family for days after being sold by roofer Lee Jenkins.

Jenkins called the dog ‘Beast’ when he advertised as being ‘grate with people.’

The ad on Facebook described the animal as having a height of 24ttw – about the same as a labrador – and weighing 115lbs.

The powerful brown and white beast was shot seven times by armed officers after it launched a horror attack on schoolboy Jack.

Neighbours described the animal as having ‘huge muscles’ protruding from its shoulders as they saw it moments after Jack’s death.

Police say a dog legislation expert has now been brought in to examine its features to see if it the dog is a breed allowed in the UK.

Chief Superintendent Mark Hobrough said experts will ‘look at the character traits of the dog’ to see if it is a banned breed.

He said: ‘We are looking at all potential offences and all potential actions that need to come as a result of this investigation.’

The grieving family of ten-year-old Jack Lis are raising money in his memory following the brutal dog attack. 

They hope to raise £5,000 for his mother Emma to pay for the youngster’s funeral. 

Matthew Young, Emma’s cousin, said: ‘Many people have expressed their deepest condolences and have asked to contribute in some way towards the funeral costs to help the family at this very difficult and emotional time.

‘So it is with extreme heartache that I write this to give those wishing to donate, a place to do so.’

He added: ‘Jack was a loving caring young boy who will be greatly missed, never forgotten, and always in our hearts. Fly high ‘sweet, sweet boy’. 

Gwent Police said a 28-year-old woman from Caerphilly had been released on conditional bail after being arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control which resulted in Jack’s death.

They added two men – a 34-year-old from the Mountain Ash area and a 19-year-old from the Caerphilly area – had both been released after voluntarily speaking to police over being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.