THE family of Jack Lis gave an emotional statement outside Cardiff Crown Court as two people were sentenced for their role in the dog attack that killed him.

Jack Lis was just 10 years old when he was killed in a house in Penyrheol, Caerphilly, on November 8, 2021.

He was mauled by a dog named Beast that was later shot and killed by police and Brandon Hayden, 19, and Amy Salter, 28, were sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, June 10.

Outside court, Emma Whitfield, Jack's mother, read a tearful statement in which she called for more preventative measures to be written into law.

Ms Whitman said: "I want to start by saying that no sentence will ever be good enough for Jack or for our family.

"The last seven months has been a torture that should never happen, a torture that we will continue to live with.

"This has been the consequence of people wanting a status symbol.

"This animal was not a family pet, it was not a cute and cuddly member of the family, it was made to be this way.

"There was absolutely no attempt of anyone calming it from the moment it was bought.

"Brandon Hayden has laughed in my face too many times, trying to sell a dog with the same name just two months after, just doors away from me.

"This has shown absolutely no remorse or respect to Jack.

"Amy Salter, a mother, allowed this dog into her house knowing full well what it was capable of.

"More needs to be done regarding the law to prevent these types of owners and to prevent this situation happening again.

"Far too many people lack the knowledge or understanding of powerful breeds and this needs to be addressed.

"Without my son, I'm without his smiles, his stories, his presence.

"Nothing will ever make up for what this has done to our family.

"Jack laughed, he played, he told jokes - he deserved to live more of a life than this.

"I could stand here all day and tell you what Jack meant to us and still means to us, we will never stop grieving Jack or loving him - our love will continue to stay strong.

"So much has been taken from us, now we must live our life sentence without such a beautiful boy."

Hayden was sentenced to six months in a young offenders institute for both of the two counts of being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury and was sentenced to four years and six months in being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.

The three sentences will be served concurrently.

Salter was sentenced to three years in prison for the offence of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.

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The lead investigating officer for Gwent Police, Detective Chief Inspector Michelle Chaplin, said: "Whilst this dog was not on the banned breeds list, it was aggressive and powerful.

"Those who encountered this dog would have known about it's unsuitable temperment and the danger that the animal could pose to a child.

"Our priority throughout the investigation was to find those responsible for Jack losing his life, our aim was to seek justice for Jack.

"I want to pay tribute to his family, his friends and to everyone who knew Jack for the courage and the dignity they have shown from the start of our investigation.

"Our thoughts will remain with them.

"Any sentence that could have been handed down by the court will not bring Jack back, but it is the memory of a loving, caring and sweet little boy that will live on in the memory of everyone who has known him."