CONVICTED (2001) | Nadine Marie Trewin, born 29/08/1969, currently (2018) of Forge Road, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 1QR – cooked her pet cat in a microwave oven after she was bitten on the leg by a flea
Mother-of-two Trewin had changed her plea and admitted cruelty during a trial at Horsham magistrates’ court in June 2001.
The court heard that Trewin had drunk seven cans of lager and two bottles of wine when the offence was committed.
She told the court that she had become angry when a flea from the 6yo tabby, who was called Sasha, bit her on the leg.
She said the cat jumped into the microwave before the door accidentally slammed shut, activating the oven.
She said the cat had cooked for less than a minute, but then the animal failed to move so she tipped her out of the oven from the kitchen window.
She later buried Sasha in the back garden.
Two days later Trewin told her friend Stacey Passmore that she had killed the cat. Miss Passmore was so upset she decided to contact the RSPCA, which prosecuted Trewin.
The court was told that Trewin been suffering from depression and had been prescribed Prozac when the incident occurred.
Trewin’s lawyer said his client “didn’t intend to deliberately harm the cat” and read out a statement from her in which she described herself as having “strong feelings of love for animals”.
As Trewin left the court, animal rights protesters shouted: “Cat killer.”
The RSPCA, which brought the case to court, condemned Trewin’s five-year ban as “far too lenient”.
RSPCA spokeswoman Claire Kennet said: “We feel she should have received a lifetime ban because the act was deliberate.”
Sentencing:
Two-year community rehabilitation order. Banned from keeping animals for five years.