Suspended prison sentence for man who killed his own family cat

Richard Collier accepted 'causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal' and was handed a suspended prison sentence. Credit: MEN Media

A man who killed his family's cat after throwing the animal in the air, has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Richard Collier, 29, was in the living room of his home in Stockport, when he launched the pet, Bella, upwards while it was in its bed.

The pet had a seizure and died in his arms.

Collier, from Woodley, accepted 'causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal' and was handed a suspended prison sentence.

Richard Collier accepted 'causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal' and was given a suspended prison sentence Credit: MEN MEDIA

Stockport Magistrates' Court was read a basis of plea document, in which Collier accepted throwing the animal into the air after it 'hissed at him' on January 23.

His statement read: "I was in the living room with my partner and children. Bella [the cat] was on the back of the sofa near my partner. She grabbed it and threw her to the floor and it ran into the soft cat tent.

"Bella hissed at me, I don't know why but I threw it up into the air and she landed on the floor. I thought it would just get a shock. It had a seizure and died in my arms."

Collier said he was 'very upset and sorry', claiming he didn't mean to hurt the cat.

Mitigating, Saul Komish said Collier 'lost his temper', adding: "He accepted that he lost his temper as the cat went inside and threw the cat bed up into the air causing it to have a seizure.

"It was the family cat, they had it for six years, he was close to the cat. He is clearly remorseful."

Mr Komish said Collier had no intention of injuring the cat, but the consequences of his actions were 'clearly foreseeable'.

"He would say it was not a deliberate attempt to cause injury, but it was a momentary lapse in judgement," the solicitor added.

Sentencing Collier, chair of the bench Karl McLaughlin said: "You have accepted your guilt for your actions which led to the devastating consequences causing the death of the family cat.

Whilst we accept it was not intentional, it was foreseeable."

Collier was handed a 12-week sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He was ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirements and was also ordered to pay £239 court costs.


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