Boy, 8, found hanged 'did not intend to kill himself' Published duration 18 April 2015

image copyright Wales News Service image caption Christopher Furniss-Roe had been placed in a number of races at his school sports day earlier in the day

An eight-year-old boy found hanged in his bedroom after a "childish" argument with his sister did not intend to kill himself, a coroner has ruled.

Christopher Furniss-Roe was found dead by his father at their home in Pontypool on 9 July last year.

Earlier that day Christopher had enjoyed his school's sports day.

But Gwent Coroner's Court heard following a minor incident at home with his sister involving a bucket he was sent to his room.

The girl's bucket had somehow broken and she had suffered a cut lip.

Giving evidence, father Jason Furniss-Roe said he told his son to go and have a shower and then go to bed as punishment.

Fifteen minutes later, Mr Furniss-Roe went up to Christopher's bedroom, which he shared with his younger sister, and found his son.

Mr Furniss-Roe cut his son down and performed first aid involving cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but Christopher was taken to hospital and had his life support machine switched off the following day.

Dr Stephen Leadbeatter, a consultant pathologist at the University of Wales Hospital in Cardiff, concluded in his post-mortem examination that the youngster had died as a result of hanging.

Coroner David Bowen said: "[Christopher] had been naughty and as a result he had been sent to his room.

"It was far more probable that he was pretending to hang himself to get sympathy and forgiveness. But it all went tragically wrong.

"A heart-wrenching decision was made to turn that [life support] machine off the following day."

Mr Bowen recorded a verdict of accidental death.