Jail term for bludgeoning stray cat
A cat suffered for hours after being bludgeoned so severely with a sharpened stick that it had to be euthanized, the Christchurch District Court was told as the cat’s attacker was jailed.
The SPCA had asked for imprisonment for Raymond Steven Cunningham, a 51-year-old beneficiary, who had admitted the charge of wilfully ill-treating the cat.
Cunningham, who has 13 previous convictions for assault, told inspectors that he attacked the stray black cat because it had been spraying inside his St Albans house. He admitted that he had “lost it and had gone psycho”.
Judge John Strettell said that serious penalties would be imposed for cruelty to animals and a home detention sentence would not properly hold Cunningham accountable.
He jailed Cunningham for 14 months and disqualified him from owning or having authority over any domestic animals for five years. He will also have to pay $233 to the SPCA for its legal costs, and $399 for the veterinary fees.
Defence counsel Paul Johnson said Cunningham was remorseful and had posted a general apology for his actions on Facebook. “I say that shows great remorse,” he said. He urged a home detention sentence.
SPCA prosecutor Chris Shannon said Cunningham had sharpened the stick he used the previous evening and had said he was going to kill the cat. After being bludgeoned, the cat had survived and suffered for hours until it was found still alive in a green wheelie bin by the teenage daughter of another person who lived at the address.
“She is still upset by it,” said Mr Shannon.
He pointed out that Cunningham had a history of violence and was serving at a home detention term at the time he attacked the cat.
Judge Strettell said the incident took place in February. The complainant heard a noise at 4am and came out to the lounge where she saw Cunningham beating the cat with the stick. He was yelling, had closed the doors, and was holding the cat. He struck it on the back and when it fell down, he hit it on the back and head.
When the teenager found it still alive in the green bin hours later, her mother told Cunningham to do something about it. Instead, he stayed in bed while the woman took it to the veterinarian where it was euthanized.
The vet said it had been struck with considerable force and suffered from swelling and bleeding to the brain. It would have suffered considerable pain and distress during the beating.
Cunningham told the inspectors he had wanted to teach the cat a lesson because it had been coming into the house and spraying. He thought he had killed it when he put it into the green bin.
Category: Focus
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