CCTV captured a killer bulldog called Beast lunging and barking at several people in public just days before it mauled a schoolboy to death.
The footage was played to Cardiff Crown Court today as Brandon Hayden, 19, and 28-year-old Amy Salter were jailed for a total of seven years over the death of Jack Lis.
The 10-year-old was killed by the dog while playing at a friend's house after school in Penyrheol, near Caerphilly, on November 8 last year.
The pair had pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, causing injury resulting in Jack's death.
Hayden was sentenced to a total of four years and six months detention in a young offenders’ institution, and Salter was sentenced to a total of three years imprisonment.
Hayden also admitted five offences of owning the bulldog between November 4 and 7 - two of those incidents resulting in injuries to two members of the public, Michael Ball and Sian Sullivan, the court previously heard.
The dog can be seen lunging at Mr Ball in the CCTV footage and injuring his arm, reports Wales Online.
In separate clips recorded on the same day, November 4, Beast lunges at two women and causes one to drop her belongings.
Hayden entered the dock on Friday morning wearing a grey tracksuit alongside Salter, who wore a black scarf and dress.
Around 30 members of Jack's family sat in the public gallery to hear the sentencing.
Summarising, prosecutor Gareth James said: “This case concerns the death of a 10-year-old boy called Jack Lis on November 8 when he was attacked at a friend’s house by a dog called Beast, an XL Bully breed dog owned by Brandon Hayden and was in the charge of defendant Amy Salter.
“Beast inflicted on Jack catastrophic and unsurvivable injuries that caused his death. Both pleaded guilty to all the offences they face.”
He said Beast had tried to attack a child on a scooter before, forcing them to run away out of fear.
Mr James also referred to an incident where Beast jumped over the garden fence and mauled a Jack Russell next door while his owner was chatting to a neighbour.
He added: “Despite seeing the incidents, Ms Salter agreed for Beast to stay at the address and provided shelter, food and watering Beast.
"There was only a door to stop him from going upstairs was permitted freely to walk around Ms Salter’s home with no apparatus or cage to restrain him. Ms Salter should have been aware of risks provided by Beast.”
Sentencing, Judge Michael Fitton QC said: “I’d like to pay my personal respects and express the court’s condolences to the family, loved ones and all those that knew him.
“Every life this court learns about is itself precious and the value of every life is greater of course to those who knew and lived the individual."
He continued: "For any child to lose their life at the age of 10 is bad enough but the circumstances we have heard and read and the pain expressed in VPS in intense terms the unbearable impact and harm it has done to those who knew and loved Jack.
“His death was an utterly tragic and needless event, it should never have happened and need never have happened.”
Both defendants were also banned from owning or keeping a dog indefinitely.
Jack suffered severe injuries to the head and neck described as "unsurvivable", an inquest opening into his death heard.
The emergency services including paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service were called to the house at around 3.55pm last November but were unable to save him.
Police firearms officers also attended the scene and shot the dog.
The animal was later found to be an 43.75kg (96.5lb) American bully or XL bully, which are not on the banned breed list.
In a statement issued the day after he was killed, Jack's family said: "Our boy made us the proudest parents and family on the planet.
"He was the sweetest of boys."
A funeral held for Jack at St Martin's Church in Caerphilly was attended by hundreds of people wearing red and carrying red balloons in his memory.
A procession of high-end cars, including a silver DeLorean DMC-12 and red Mustang, took place prior to the service around the town and castle.
