Man died after being bitten by dogs, inquest told

A man died after being bitten by dogs, an inquest has heard.

William John Jones, was pronounced dead at the home he shared with his niece and carer Gwenfair Benjamin in January 2022.

The 68-year-old, who had Down's syndrome, had been living with her in Pleasant Hill, Lampeter, for two years, alongside her three pedigree British Bulldogs.

The court in Aberystwyth heard on Wednesday it was likely he had let the two younger animals, which had been locked outside, into the house, when he potentially went to fetch ice cream.

Dyfed-Powys Police was called to the property just after 17:00 GMT on 10 January 2022.

Det Con Richard Taberner, present at court, said the dogs did not fall under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

The inquest was told Benjamin, 51, had gone to visit her partner at 13:00, having locked two of the dogs outside because they "chewed things".

Although familiar with the pets, she said her uncle would "make a fuss of the dogs" and would get them "overexcited".

"He'd tell them to stop in his own way but he couldn't command in the way I could command because of his speech defect," she said.

The inquest heard it was likely Jones, who knew not to let the dogs in, had allowed them into the living room.

Coroner Peter Brunton asked why and Benjamin replied "the only thing" she could think of was that her uncle liked to get ice cream, which was located in the freezer out the back.

When she returned four hours later, she found him on the floor of the living room.

She said: "We've been together since I was born. We've been like brother and sister all the way through. I would never have wanted this to happen in a million years."

A pathologist report said Jones had sustained 38 injuries inflicted by the dogs.

In his conclusion, Brunton said the cause of death was haemorrhage associated with leg injuries inflicted by dogs in a man with coronary artery atherosclerosis.

He said "it was clear" the deceased knew he was not supposed to let the dogs in when Benjamin was out.

"Nevertheless, on this occasion, that's what he did. There is no explanation why dogs behaved as they did," he said.

"Mr Jones was familiar with the dogs as they were with him, they had never misbehaved before."

He recorded the cause of death as an accident.