The victim of an alleged pit bull attack has been identified in court as Stratford man Akif Mushtaq.
Mr Mushtaq, 42, suffered bite wounds to his neck and throat in his own street, Shirley Road, on November 4.
He died in hospital the following day.
An inquest was opened into his death at East London Coroner’s Court, Walthamstow, on Monday (December 16).
Senior coroner Graeme Irvine told the court Mr Mushtaq’s death had been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), owing to prior contact between him and the Metropolitan Police Service.
But both the force and the watchdog told this paper they had no knowledge of any referral.
The death was referred for an inquest, Mr Irvine said, because staff at the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, “had reason to believe that his death was an unnatural or violent death, caused by a puncture wound".
He ordered an autopsy, which gave Mr Mushtaq’s cause of death as multiple organ failure and hypoxic brain injury (meaning the brain was starved of oxygen), following “multiple puncture wounds to the anterior neck, with tracheal laceration” – meaning his throat was severed.
“This is a death which cannot be described as a natural cause of death,” said Mr Irvine, who added that the injuries “were caused by a dog”.
Mr Irvine set a provisional inquest date of July 2 but warned that it could be delayed by criminal proceedings.
“I’m given to understand that the circumstances of Mr Mushtaq’s death are currently subject to a criminal investigation,” he said.
An inquest cannot proceed until after any prosecution has concluded.
He declared Mr Mushtaq’s family “interested persons”, giving them the right to view evidence before the inquest and question any witnesses called to give evidence.
He also declared the IOPC an interested party.
*Leanne McDonnell, 33, of Shirley Road, Stratford, has been charged with owning a dog dangerously out of control, causing injury resulting in death.
She has also been charged with failing to ensure the welfare of an animal and possessing a fighting dog.
She is due to answer the charges at Snaresbrook Crown Court on January 6.
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