Eight-year-old Jay Cartmell killed with shotgun during rabbit hunt

An eight-year-old boy was killed with a shotgun during a rabbit hunt, an inquest has been told.

Jay Cartmell suffered fatal injuries to his head and face on land near Warcop in Cumbria on 28 September.

Later in the day, he died in hospital.

Dr Nicholas Shaw, assistant coroner for Cumbria, opened and then adjourned the inquest into Jay's death during a brief hearing at Cockermouth Coroner's Court in Cumbria to allow the police to investigate.

A man in his 60s is currently on bail after being arrested at the scene of the death on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.

Dr Shaw said Jay, from Frizington in Cumbria, was rushed to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle by air ambulance for urgent treatment before being pronounced dead.

"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," he said.

"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."

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Boy was 'loving, kind and full of mischief'

Jay was described as "loving, kind and full of mischief" by his parents Leigha and James Cartmell.

"We are heartbroken at the passing of our perfect little boy - Jay Cartmell, eight years," they said in a statement issued through Cumbria Police after his death.

"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 said Jay enjoyed fishing and rabbiting with his father and helped take care of the family pets, including four lurchers, five ferrets and his bearded dragon, named Spike.

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