The inquest heard that Jay Cartmell, eight, died on land near Warcop, Cumbria, after the “loving, kind” boy sustained fatal wounds to his head and face in a shock shooting
An eight-year-old boy was killed with a shotgun during a rabbit shooting expedition, an inquest hearing was told.
Jay Cartmell died in hospital on September 28 after he suffered fatal injuries to his head and face on land near Warcop, Cumbria. An inquest into his death was opened and adjourned today by Dr Nicholas Shaw, the assistant coroner for Cumbria, who held a brief hearing in which he clarified a man in his 60s is currently on bail having been arrested at the scene of Jay’s death.
The man was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, and Dr Shaw adjourned the proceedings so police could investigate the case. The coroners said that Jay, from Frizington, Cumbria, was rushed by air ambulance to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle for emergency treatment, where he was later pronounced dead.”
He added: “The brief circumstances, it has been widely reported by the press, Jay sadly sustained a serious injury during a shooting, a rabbit shooting expedition, a suspected shotgun injury and was flown to Newcastle but sadly died. Police have started an investigation, investigating somebody, possibly for gross negligence manslaughter.
“At the moment it is left to the police to investigate. If charges are brought as a result of this and a court case concludes, we would then consider whether we need to re-open the case. The case is now adjourned to await the result of the police investigation.”
Leigha and James Cartmell, the boy’s parents, described their son as “loving, kind and full of mischief”. In a tribute issued through Cumbria Police after his death, they said: “We are heartbroken at the passing of our perfect little boy – Jay Cartmell, eight years.”
“He was loving, kind and full of mischief, the best boy that anyone could wish for and the third corner of our beautiful family ‘triangle’. Jay loved being outdoors, the muddier he could get the better and was starting to follow in the footsteps of his dad with his obsession for speedway at Workington, where he first attended aged one years.”
They also told of how Jay enjoyed fishing and rabbiting with his father and helped care for the family pets, including four lurchers, five ferrets and his own bearded dragon named Spike.
