An eight-year-old boy was killed with a shotgun during a rabbit shooting expedition, an inquest hearing was told.
Jay Cartmell suffered fatal injuries to his head and face on land near Warcop in Cumbria on September 28. He died in hospital the same day.
Dr Nicholas Shaw, assistant coroner for Cumbria, opened and adjourned the inquest into Jay’s death during a brief hearing at Cockermouth Coroner’s Court, Cumbria.
He said the adjournment was to allow police to investigate, with a man in his 60s currently on bail having been arrested at the scene of Jay’s death on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.
Dr Shaw said 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.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel