Catching the cat killer: how shopping centre security guard Steve Bouquet was brought to justice
Tap to watch a special report looking at how police caught Brighton cat killer Steve Bouquet
During his police interview Steve Bouquet's demeanor was cool and calm as he mounted his defence.
"I am no threat to animals", the shopping centre security guard told detectives following his arrest.
He was being questioned in relation to 16 charges of criminal damage by stabbing to death nine cats and injuring seven others in Brighton, denying any involvement in the brutal attacks.
But the 54-year old was a guilty man. Guilty of subjecting 16 loved family pets to incomprehensible acts of violence.
"I found her outside our next door neighbour's flat and she was dead."
Em O'Sullivan adopted her friendly sweet sociable cat Gizmo, along with her sister Spider, when she was a kitten.
In March 2019 Em returned home one day to find Gizmo on the pavement. The five-year old been stabbed.
"It's just horrific like unspeakably horrific. Sometimes I forget that she's not here I look forward to her seeing her when I get home and then I remember the fact that she's not here because of someone else.
"To know there were dozens of other people who have gone through the same thing, I can't comprehend how somebody could do something like this."
A deliberate set of acts
Steve Bouquet's attacks took place on residential streets in and around central Brighton .
The first cat was called Hannah. She was targeted in Crown Gardens - in October 2018 -and died.
The vicious assaults continued and happened more frequently when the shopping centre security guard was on leave from
By June 2019 sixteen cats had been stabbed.
Boudicca Rising was part of South Norwood Animal Rescue, an organisation which at the time was searching for the so-called Croydon Cat Killer. She is now part of South London Animal Investigation Network.
When reports started circulating in the media and on social media of cats being injured the charity's attention turned to the streets of Brighton.
At first they suspected it might've been the same person responsible but soon realised it wasn't as they tried to help police with their investigation.
Boudicca says, "We started keeping a log, we spoke to owners where reports were coming into us, we spoke to the vets, we started keeping a log of the injuries, the locations and the dates.
"We knew, because we'd spoken to the vets, these were stab injuries they weren't vehicle related injuries.
"We knew they had to be deliberate. After the first one or two, we thought no, this has got to be a deliberate set of acts."
Caught out
Watch: the CCTV that led to Bouquet's arrest
There were no witnesses to any of the attacks but a breakthrough finally came in the form of CCTV.
A camera was setup in Crown Gardens by the owners of the cat called Hannah, the first of Bouquet's victims in October 2018.
In May 2019 Boquet's was caught approaching a nine month old cat called Hendrix before taking a weapon from his rucksack and using it with force on the animal. Hendrix died from his injuries.
Hendrix ran off to his owners who then discovered a trail of blood leading from the passageway to their home before noticing the camera.
Sally Lakin from the Crown Prosecution Service explains what happened next:
Detectives then recovered Bouquet's mobile phone which contained a picture of Kyo - one of the 16 victims.
This allowed forensic investigators to find location data on the device which linked him to the areas where several cats were injured.
Meanwhile, his laptop revealed searches of dog killing cat-related videos.
A knife with his DNA on the handle and cat DNA on the blade was recovered from his home.
During police interviews Bouquet claimed he picked up the weapon close his home outside a supermarket.
On December 22nd 2019 police were able to charge their suspect.
The charity Lost Cats Brighton says Bouquet caused huge amounts of pain and suffering.
"The anguish that families feel losing a beloved pet is always immense but to lose a pet in such a horrific circumstance is devastating to owners and will have a lifelong impact. Our thoughts are with all of those who have been affected by these terrible crimes against innocent animals.
"Cat owners in Brighton & Hove have been caused extreme anxiety and worry both during and in the immediate aftermath of these acts and we extend our deepest condolences once again to all those who have lost their beloved cats."
It's unclear what fueled bouquet's barbaric behaviour and we might never know but his conviction will provide some justice.
Steve Bouquet was remanded in custody and it's expected he will be sentenced on July 12th.