Teen jailed for killing cat with microwave
A teenager who microwaved a cat to death after he thought it was insulting his mother’s ex-partner has been jailed for 22 weeks.
Jamie Lee Blake, of St Edmunds Court, Thetford, has also been banned from owning a pet for life after he killed the cat, Buddy, on September 27.
The 19-year-old was sent down at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court on Monday having pleaded guilty to the offence at a previous hearing on October 3.
The incident took place at John Room House. in Thetford, just before 10.30pm when Blake had taken the cat to his room to feed it.
Having given it tuna and cheese, Blake - who said he loved the cat - then put it in the microwave.
At the October 3 hearing, the court was told how he said he killed Buddy because it began talking about his mother’s now dead ex-partner giving her heroin.
After killing it, Blake bragged to fellow residents about the incident, laughing and saying he had cooked it for three minutes.
When fur was later seen near his room, CCTV was reviewed and a cat and the microwave were found in a bin area.
An inquest by the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket confirmed that the car had been microwaved to death.
The court was told about Blake’s underlying mental health issues, including psychosis, which had been made worse by his use of crack cocaine.
Sentencing, Susan Taylor, lead magistrate, said Blake would be jailed for the charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
“We can only imagine the suffering that poor animal had to endure.
“The offence is so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified,” she said.
Staff at John Room House said the incident had been ‘really traumatic’ for residents.
The cat had been picked up as a stray and manager, Alison Arnold, said the homeless shelter had seen it as being in a similar situation to residents.
Klare Kennett, from the RSPCA, said Blake’s actions were inexcusable.
“This cat would have suffered an agonising death. It would have been terrified and had no means of escape.
“Being drugged up is no excuse for this kind of appalling abuse of an animal,” she said.
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Wednesday 22 May 2013
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