CAT killer, 70-year-old William Seed, who snared people's pets on his Longridge allotment, bludgeoned their heads with a hammer and then submerged them in a water-filled dustbin, has become an outcast in the community after being found out.

For at the consequent court case at Blackburn, which heard he had admitted to police that he had killed "about 10" cats, his lawyer said he had received hate mail, had his house windows repeatedly smashed and "filthy things" had been done outside his home.

No matter what people think of Mr Seed and his deeds, it is not right for him to undergo such lawless extra punishment now that he has been dealt with -- in the form of a six-month community rehabilitation order and an order for £750 compensation and £60 costs.

But I would have thought, in view of the evident outrage he had caused, he would now at least have the sense to realise the value that people put on their pets and their company, rather than complaining that the court's monetary measure of it -- the compensation -- was "a bit harsh for a chap of 70."

If, as a result, Mr Seed is felt to be more sorry for himself than for the pain and distress he caused, he should not be surprised if the shunning by the community lasts a lifetime.