RSPCA DIG-UP cat cadaver to PROVE man beat terrified animal to death with claw hammer
A MAN has been convicted of killing his pet cat after the RSPCA discovered he beat it to death with a hammer.
SWNS
Thug Adrian Straw, 54, killed the 14-year-old cat after she bit him.
A neighbour saw the horrific attack and said they saw him smash the cat, Lupo, across the head three times while it cried in pain.
After admitting causing unnecessary harm to the animal Shaw was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison - suspended for 12 months.
He was also banned from keeping animals for life and ordered to pay £905,50 at Nottingham Magistrates’ court.
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I don't know what happened, I was under a lot of stress and I just snapped..
Prosecutor Paul Wright said: “It was 5.50am and his neighbour could hear him shouting and the cat screaming.
“When she looked out of her window she sees Mr Straw knelt down with his back to her.
“He has a hammer in his hand and she can see Lupo on the ground. Lupo's legs are shaking so she knows that he is still alive.
The RSPCA was contacted following the incident and went to Straw’s house to investigate.
SWNS
Although Straw denied the allegations, Lupo’s body was exhumed.
A post-mortem examination showed the moggy died from a blunt force trauma to the skull.
She also had severely overgrown claws which had curled into the pads of her feed.
In an interview with an RSPCA inspector, Straw admitted using the hammer to make sure she was dead, before burying her at 3.30am.
Mr Wright added: “He said he believed she was dying but this is far from a humane way of dealing with it.”
Straw said: “It's a horrible incident and I am very sorry about it. “I don't know what happened, I was under a lot of stress and I just snapped..”
RSPCA inspector Laura Kirkham said: “This has been a very unpleasant job to deal with from the start.
“Due to conflicting comments from her owner, I will never know the real motives behind what happened or whether Lupo was conscious or not when this incident occurred - I sincerely hope it was the latter.
“Clearly subjecting Lupo to blows to the head with a hammer is completely inappropriate and if there were any concerns for her health then either an emergency vet or ourselves should have been contacted for advice or help.
“Furthermore, some of her claws had become so overgrown that they had penetrated her pads and had grown into almost a complete circle.
“This would clearly have been causing her a great deal of pain and discomfort, particularly as this was on both of her front paws.”
