DOG HELL
Our son, 10, was mauled to death by a Bully dog named ‘Beast’ – when I close my eyes I see its teeth & hear it barking
A MUM whose son was mauled to death by a bully dog says she is still haunted by the beast when she "closes her eyes".
Jack Lis, ten, was savaged by the eight-stone animal in Caerphilly, South Wales, in November.
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The young lad had been playing outside his house before heading to his pal's house in a neighbouring street when the horror unfolded.
Once inside, he was attacked by the dog - named 'Beast'.
This week Jack's mum Emma Whitfield clutched a teddy and cried as the details of her son's death being read out.
In a victim impact statement, she said: "No mum should ever have the last images of their child as being dragged from a house, knowing deep down they're gone but praying that it isn't so.
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"I close my eyes and I see the animal and its teeth. I hear the barking.
"I used to be happy, bubbly, fun but now I am a nervous wreck.
"I'm angry because my child went out to play and didn't come home.
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"I am trapped in what used to be our family home. Now it's broken and will never be the same."
"I constantly ask 'Why my boy? Why Jack?' I would have given my life trying to protect him, but I couldn't do this because he wasn't somewhere familiar.
"He was at a friend's house, a house he should have been safe in."
I close my eyes and I see the animal and its teeth. I hear the barking.
Emma Whitfield
His dad John Lis added: "Losing a child is heartbreaking to say the least, but to lose a child in such an horrific, unimaginable way is not something that anyone would ever be able to come to terms with or accept.
"Jack was 10 years old and had his whole life ahead of him, but this was taken from him."
Owners Brandon Hayden, 19, and Amy Salter, 29, admitted being in charge of the dog which killed Jack Lis, ten, Pentwyn, Penyrheol, near Caerphilly in November.
KILLER DOG
Hayden, 19, was jailed for four years and six months, while Salter, 29, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.
Both were banned from owning a dog indefinitely.
Hayden had seen the dog advertised "for free" on Facebook with a warning that it was "not good with other dogs".
Tragedy struck when the raging animal killed schoolboy Jack inside a property near his home.
He had been playing with a pal after school when they went to the house where Beast was roaming around downstairs.
Prosecutor Gareth James said the friend watched in horror as Beast pushed Jack to the floor with his "paws on Jack's shoulders".
Mr James said: "He went to help Jack but immediately realised that he could not."
The friend then ran to neighbour Kirk Wiegold's home in a desperate attempt to get help.
Mr Wiegold tried to get inside but could only open the door "a fraction" and was met by the horrific scene.
Emergency services rushed to the address, but Jack was tragically pronounced dead.
Mum Emma was stood outside the home as neighbours gathered before being dealt the devastating news by police.
Beast was later shot by firearms officers at the scene as horrified residents gathered outside.
Hayden gave a prepared statement in interview to claim that "as far as he was concerned" the dog belonged to Salter.
The court heard he attended the scene after the attack and appeared to be "freaking out" before leaving when police arrived.
Mr James said: "He said he would never forget the images he saw and can't get them out of his mind."
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Salter and Hayden admitted being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.
Hayden also admitted a further three counts of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and two counts of being the owner of a dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control in a public place.
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