Cheltenham man viciously killed cat in school car park attack
A man from Cheltenham has been caught on camera viciously killing a cat in a school car park in an unprovoked attack.
Millie, a 12-year-old cat, was outside Cheltenham’s Cleeve School on 17 March 2022 when she was attacked by Tomasz Zimny.
Zimny drove into the car park to collect his then-girlfriend who was waiting for him. He got out and let their two dogs out of the car who then chased Millie away.
The CCTV footage shows Zimny running after Millie before picking her up by her back legs or tail and swinging her up over his shoulder and slamming her onto the ground.
However, the ordeal did not stop there - RSPCA Inspector Richard Carr, who investigated the case said: “It is clear she is injured and unable to move but is still alive. He takes some steps away – but comes back and he then appears to kick her whilst she would already be in pain.
"She can be seen to move a few more times but then is motionless for a few seconds before dragging herself under the pallets.
"Neither Zimny nor his girlfriend bothered to check on her and instead got the dogs back into the car.”
Zimny was found guilty of an animal welfare offence following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA. He was given a suspended prison sentence and banned from keeping cats for life.
The incident had partly been seen by a witness who went over to check on Millie and rushed her to a vet but she sadly died.
Millie’s family were traced through her microchip and informed the next day of her death, believing at that time it to have been as a result of a dog attack.
However, after the school’s headteacher had been made aware of the incident, he viewed the CCTV covering the car park - which showed Zimny’s actions towards Millie and passed the footage to police and RSPCA.
The family was further traumatised when they had to exhume their beloved family pet so a post-mortem could be carried out.
The vet found evidence of a number of traumatic injuries and widespread bruising. Millie also suffered the partial dislocation of three spinal joints, rib fractures, bleeding in the lung and a collapsed lung.
These injuries led the vet to conclude Zimny caused unnecessary suffering by his actions.
Solicitor Lindi Meyer, who prosecuted for the RSPCA, said: “Millie did not die immediately but was then kicked by Zimny and she then dragged herself under the pallets where she died from her extensive injuries soon after his actions were premeditated and in angry revenge.”
Zimny claimed he had been bitten by Millie and said because his dogs were barking at her he thought the cat was attacking them.
Alongside the lifetime cat disqualification, which he can not appeal for five years, he was also handed an 18-week suspended prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and 150 hours of community service when he was sentenced at Cheltenham Magistrates Court on Monday 15 May.