Two friends in charge of an aggressive dog who mauled a boy to death have been jailed for failing to prevent the tragedy.

Ten-year-old Jack Lis was attacked by the XL Bully dog named Beast while playing with a friend after school.

Now its owners Amy Salter, 29, and Brandon Hayden, 19, have been sentenced for being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.

A court heard how Hayden saw an advert on Facebook for the dog saying it was ‘free’ but ‘not good with other dogs’.

He took ownership of the dog but asked his friend Salter if she could keep the dog at her house for a while due to lack of space.

Prosecutor Gareth James said: ‘Ms Salter assisted with feeding and watering Beast but Mr Hayden supplied food and was the only person who walked it.’

In the four days they owned the dog before the attack on Jack Lis, there were a string of incidents where the dog tried to attack people and other dogs.

Beast, who weighed a ‘muscular’ 44kg (6.9stone), was seen on video lunging at shoppers and children in the days before the fatal attack.

CCTV footage shown in court showed showed the animal jumping up and biting a passer by, and lunging at terrified children while Hayden fails to pull him back.

Beast also attacked shopper Sian Sullivan when he ripped her hoodie and left her with injuries to her chest.

Hayden was also seen on the footage ‘kicking and slapping”‘Beast after it jumped over a fence to maul a Jack Russell.

Mr James said: ‘Within 24 hours of Hayden becoming Beast’s owner he could see such incidents were likely.

‘Despite seeing the incidents, Ms Salter agreed for Beast to stay at the address and provided shelter, food and watering Beast.’

He said there was nothing such as a cage to restrain Beast in the house and he could walk around as he pleased.

When the attack happened, the court heard how Beast pushed Jack to the floor with his ‘paws on his shoulders’.

Neighbour Kirk Wiegold was alerted to the attack but could only open the door ‘a fraction’ when he tried to help.

Emergency services rushed to the address in Caerphilly, South Wales, but Jack was pronounced dead.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Beast was shot by firearms officers at the scene as horrified neighbours gathered outside.

His mother Emma Whitfield, who clutched a teddy in court, was also stood outside the home with them on November 8 last year.

She was then dealt the devastating news by police after she provided them with a description of her son.

In a victim impact statement, she said: ‘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.

‘I am trapped in what used to be our family home. Now it’s broken and will never be the same.’

She added: ‘I’m sad. I’m more than sad, I’m distraught.’

His dad John Lis added: ‘Jack was a ten-year-old boy and had his whole life ahead of him but this was taken from him so unnecessarily and so tragically.’

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.’

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.

Judge Michael Fitton QC said: ‘Jack’s death was an utterly tragic, needless event. It should not have happened. It need not have happened.’

Hayden was sentenced to four years and six months. Salter was jailed for three years, making seven years between them.

The pair were also handed an indefinite order from keeping dogs.

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