Jade Lomas-Anderson who was mauled by four dogs as she ate lunch at the house of her friend
The
inquest of a teenager killed by four dogs that leapt at her because
she was carrying a pie heard the animals were 'stir crazy'.
The
'hyper-aggressive' dogs that killed Jade Lomas-Anderson, 14, in
Atherton, Greater Manchester, on March 26 last year were owned by
Beverley Concannon.
The
45-year-old failed to attend the girl's inquest today after she was
taken to hospital by ambulance at 7.30am this morning, Bolton Coroner's
Court heard.
One
dog was later described as 'stir crazy' after being kept constantly
caged while the others were cooped up in her council house and 'never'
seen being walked or let out.
Jade, a friend of Concannon's daughter, Kimberley, was bitten from 'head to toe' and died from her injuries during the attack.
The dogs were shot dead by police.
Concannon
later admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the pets and was given a
16-week suspended jail sentence after the Crown Prosecution Service
decided not to charge her with manslaughter by gross negligence through
lack of evidence.
At
the inquest into Jade's death today, members of her family were told
that Concannon, who should have been a witness, had been taken to
hospital.
Alan
Walsh, Coroner for Manchester West, told them he would hear from some
witnesses before adjourning the hearing while police made further
inquiries to see if Concannon is fit to attend the court to give
evidence tomorrow.
Jade's
stepfather, Michael Anderson, 35, told the hearing Jade was
well-behaved, very polite with good manners and 'the ideal daughter'.
Initially
Mr Anderson and his wife, Jade's mother, Shirley, 37, had refused
permission for her to stay over at the home of her school friend,
Kimberley Concannon - but eventually agreed because she had had a good
school report.
Buddy, a Bull Mastiff, was one of four dogs owned by Colcannon destroyed by armed police after the attack
A male Staffordshire Bull Terrier (right) and
Bull Mastiff Neo (left). It is believed the dogs attacked Jade when she
walked into the room carrying a meat pie
Jade returned home the next day but then went back to her friends house in Chaucer Grove in Atherton, Greater Manchester.
Around 2.30pm on the day of the fatal attack a neighbour knocked on their door to tell the parents 'there had been an accident'.
Mr Anderson told the inquest: 'I drove around and panicked and I left, Shel ran off. I shot off in the car.'
Alan
Welsh, coroner for Manchester West asked Mr Anderson: 'When you got
(there) police had closed off the road and you were very sadly told in a
short time that Jade had died?'
Mr Anderson replied: 'Yes.'
Beverley Concannon, 45, was taken to hospital by ambulance at 7.30am this morning, Bolton Coroner's Court heard.
Grief: Shirley Lomas Anderson (pink top), mother of Jade Anderson, arriving at Bolton Coroners court
Shirley Lomas Anderson and Michael Anderson (right), parents of Jade Anderson arriving at Bolton Coroners court
Dr
Naomi Carter, the Home Office pathologist who carried out the
post-mortem examination, concluded Jade died of 'multiple injuries' from
dog bites, particularly to her neck, from at least two dogs.
A tearful Mr Anderson asked the doctor: 'Did she suffer for long?'
Dr Carter replied: 'The answer to that is no, she did not.'
Paul
Carter, a next-door neighbour of Beverley Concannon, said she kept five
dogs - two large mastiffs, called Ty and Sky, two Staffordshire Bull
terriers, Buddy and Neo, and a smaller cross breed dog called Charlie.
Mr
Carter said the dogs were always kept in the house and Buddy - which
would bark if approached and would be aggressive - kept in a cage in the
kitchen.
A
gate was kept across the kitchen door and when he visited he would be
'ushered' in with the dogs kept away from visitors, until they 'settled
down', the hearing was told.
Beverley Concannon's house, where Jade was attacked, has now been boarded up
Mr
Carter said on the day of the attack Kimberley Concannon visited his
house to ask if she could warm a pie up as their microwave was broke.
She then went home but returned a 'very short time' later.
Mr Carter continued: 'Banging on the kitchen window, banging really loud.
'She
then said she had seen Jade and she said she's dead. She kept repeating
the words over and over again and tears rolling down her face.'
Meanwhile his partner, Jody Lewis, had called Beverley Concannon and told her to return home immediately.
A brief statement from Kimberley Concannon stated: 'I left home to warm a pie up for my friend.
'When
I left Jade was in the house on her own. When I came back in the girl I
saw laid down on the floor was Jade Anderson. I had only been gone for
about five minutes.'
Jade's parents have said they want the law change to prevent the same tragedy happening to another family
Jasmine
Steward, a friend of Catrina Concannon, another of Beverley Concannon's
daughters, told the hearing she never stayed over at the house and
always insisted on the dogs being put outside if she went round.
She
added: 'I was scared of dogs but Catrina's dogs scared me even more as
they would go mad when I went past the fence at the side of the house.
'Catrina used to tell me they were safe and would not bite.'
Laura
Tonge, a neighbour, said Concannon would send her a message on Facebook
asking her to come round, 'for the sake of a cig or could you lend the
kids a couple of quid'.
But Mrs Tonge said she would never be allowed into the house because of the dogs.
'As far as I got was the doorstep,' she said.
Mrs
Tonge added: 'I do recall her telling me one time she would not like
anybody to rob her house because they would not be walking back out.'
Coroner Mr Walsh asked: 'Did you ever see them being walked?'
'Never,' Mrs Tonge replied.
The hearing was adjourned until tomorrow morning.
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