Pet ban for man who killed cat

Paul Hill shot the cat several times with an air gun after it had been trapped in a bedroom in his girlfriend's house and then brought the body downstairs dripping with blood.

Hill, aged 45, of Fountain Place, Whitefield, appeared at Bury Magistrates Court and admitted cruelly torturing an animal.

Two teenagers, aged 13 and 14, have already been dealt with for their part in killing the cat and made subject to referral orders for eight months. The magistrates described the slaughter as an "appalling act beyond belief" and sentenced Hill to a four month daily curfew between 9pm and 7am and banned from keeping animals for the next three years.

He was ordered to pay £43 court costs and a Scorpion .22 pistol which he had used to shoot the cat was ordered to be destroyed.

Mrs Gill Hindle, prosecuting, said the incident took place at the house of Hill's girlfriend in Prestwich after he had been drinking at a local pub. Hill received a call from one of the teenagers to say the stray black cat had got into the house and was locked in a bedroom.

A witness said Hill and the two boys went upstairs and then she heard the sound of shooting.

It went on for 20 minutes. Hill then came downstairs holding the cat which was now dead. Blood dripped on to the floor.

Disgusted at what she had seen, the witness contacted the council and the police.

It was said Hill had later bragged about killing the cat to people in the pub.

One of the youngsters involved said Hill had shot the cat. They had also taken turns. One of the teenagers had kicked the animal and then Hill shot it in the head.

The cat hid under the mattress where it was stamped on.

A man of previous good character, Hill told the Bench that he was sorry for what had happened but claimed the cat was vermin and had not only been terrorising his girl friend's pet cat, but had fouled her house and stolen food from the Sunday roast.

A MAN who killed a stray cat because he said it was "vermin" was tagged and banned from keeping animals by magistrates.

Paul Hill shot the cat several times with an air gun after it had been trapped in a bedroom in his girlfriend's house and then brought the body downstairs dripping with blood.

Hill, aged 45, of Fountain Place, Whitefield, appeared at Bury Magistrates Court and admitted cruelly torturing an animal.

Two teenagers, aged 13 and 14, have already been dealt with for their part in killing the cat and made subject to referral orders for eight months. The magistrates described the slaughter as an "appalling act beyond belief" and sentenced Hill to a four month daily curfew between 9pm and 7am and banned from keeping animals for the next three years.

He was ordered to pay £43 court costs and a Scorpion .22 pistol which he had used to shoot the cat was ordered to be destroyed.

Mrs Gill Hindle, prosecuting, said the incident took place at the house of Hill's girlfriend in Prestwich after he had been drinking at a local pub. Hill received a call from one of the teenagers to say the stray black cat had got into the house and was locked in a bedroom.

A witness said Hill and the two boys went upstairs and then she heard the sound of shooting.

It went on for 20 minutes. Hill then came downstairs holding the cat which was now dead. Blood dripped on to the floor.

Disgusted at what she had seen, the witness contacted the council and the police.

It was said Hill had later bragged about killing the cat to people in the pub.

One of the youngsters involved said Hill had shot the cat. They had also taken turns. One of the teenagers had kicked the animal and then Hill shot it in the head.

The cat hid under the mattress where it was stamped on.

A man of previous good character, Hill told the Bench that he was sorry for what had happened but claimed the cat was vermin and had not only been terrorising his girl friend's pet cat, but had fouled her house and stolen food from the Sunday roast.