Earby alcoholic jailed for ‘vile’ attack that killed pet cat

Jason Metcalfe, whose horrific actions were seen by a nine-year-old girl, had been given a suspended jail term for a sustained attack on a friend 15 days before.

Metcalfe had grabbed 14-year-old cat Bonnie by her back legs and swung her against the wall at least four times over 10 minutes, just because she was said to have rubbed against him, Burnley Crown Court was told.

The defendant, an alcoholic, had been in a rehabilitation unit, had come out for the weekend, lapsed and started to drink again when he struck last September.

Metcalfe arrived to be sentenced with his face bandaged, and it was revealed the tables had turned as he had been attacked by an animal – a dog had bitten off part of his nose.

The defendant (29), of Kenilworth Drive, Earby, had earlier admitted failing to meet the needs of the cat by not protecting her from the pain she suffered.

He was also in breach of the suspended sentence, and was banned from owning or keeping animals for life.

Miss Raquel Simpson, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told the hearing that on September 28th, police were called to a disturbance in Goodall Close, Earby, where the defendant then lived.

He was drunk, there was blood on his clothes and a nine-year-old girl told officers the defendant had killed a cat.

She said he had grabbed the animal by her back legs and hit her against a wall at least four times. He had then put the cat on the ground by a lamp post.

Miss Simpson said Metcalfe was arrested and taken to the police station.

He was interviewed the next day and said he had been to the Burnley alcohol team during the day, had been drinking Special Brew, had no recollection of killing the cat and could not explain the blood stains on his clothes.

A vet found the cat had suffered fractures to her skull and died from cranial trauma.

Mr Mark Stuart, for Metcalfe, said a medical report concluded he was not suffering from any sort of psychiatric illness.

The defendant, who took medication for anxiety and depression, was deeply ashamed of what he had done, which was a 10-minute aberration.

The barrister continued: “By and large, he is a lover of animals. He cannot explain for one moment why he did what he did on that particular day. He is very, very sorry he did it.”

Sentencing, Recorder Michael Murray said Metcalfe’s conduct was “particularly unpleasant”, and was aggravated by the fact the young girl saw it.

He told Metcalfe: “Such conduct is abhorrent to any right-thinking member of society.

“It is vile and barbaric behaviour, which, understandably, would make reasonable people feel outraged.”

The judge activated 30 weeks of the suspended term and added 16 weeks – the maximum he could impose after “credit” for a guilty plea – for killing Bonnie.