Bath, Somerset: John O’Reilly

CONVICTED (2020) | John Pierce O’Reilly, born 4 May 1973, of Fox Hill in Bath BA2 5QN – launched a violent attack on a kitten

Photo composite shows John O'Reilly and his victim, kitten Betty Boo, after the attack and following recovery

Irish national John O’Reilly was jailed for 18 weeks after he admitted attacking a kitten, known as Betty Boo, leaving her with multiple injuries.

Late at night on July 16, 2020, several eyewitnesses saw O’Reilly attacking the kitten in an outdoor area near his flat after hearing her distressed cries. Two young women managed to rescue her before rushing her to Rosemary Lodge Veterinary, who alerted the RSPCA

The kitten was soaking wet, hypothermic, with a temperature of 35.8C and her respiratory rate was abnormally high.

She had a laceration to her right nostril, blood in her mouth, nasal discharge, and marked upper respiratory congestion consistent with bleeding and fluid accumulation in her nasal passages.

Some of her teeth had also fallen out.

Vets also found that she had fluid in the airways, which indicated attempted drowning. Radiographs revealed she had air within the thorax, which is a common after-effect of chest trauma.

It was also found that Betty Boo had bruising around her neck.

John O'Reilly
John O’Reilly

RSPCA inspector Miranda Albinson, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said: “It’s upsetting that Betty Boo was subjected to this.

“She was left severely injured and a video taken seven hours after she arrived at the vets shows how much distress and discomfort she was suffering.

“Thankfully, she has now fully recovered and has found a loving new home where she is getting the love and care she needs.”

Sentencing: 18-week custodial sentence; £300 costs. Banned from owning animals for life.

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Additional information

John O’Reilly, who hails from the Irish Republic, describes himself as an electrician on his Facebook profile. He would appear to be of no fixed abode and in recent years has lived in a variety of temporary accommodation centres for people with mental health and addiction issues.

7 thoughts on “Bath, Somerset: John O’Reilly”

  1. Please we ask the Public. Do Not Employ this or have Him Over The Door On Your Property. He is obviously Not Safe Around Your Children or Your Pets, as He is Mentally Disturbed.

    We Thank The Ladies For Saving The Little Cat, and For Getting Veterinary Help. Thank You.

  2. I had the displeasure of meeting him 5 years ago. He preys on vulnerable people and anything smaller than him. He is a fraudster, a thief and I me hink has an Anti-social Personality Disorder. The latest is that he tried to set fire to the flat of the woman that reported him to the Rscpa. Shortly after he met me in a disabled mans flat that he was extorting cigarettes from. He called me scum and threw a burning cigarette at me. He said he was going to smash my face in. and there would be no witnesses. I reported him to the landlord and police and he will be evicted from his flat. He is in prison due to attempted arson.

    1. Well spoken Nancy, everything you stated is true. John obviously has severe mental health issues, i hope he get the help he so desperately needs. Those poor kittens/cats that suffered by this man’s hands didn’t stand a chance of surviving John’s sadistic abuse. If John comes back to Foxhill he will be met by a multitude of angry neighbours, but if he moves elsewhere he most likely will continue torturing little animals without his new neighbours knowing of his disgusting past as a sadistic animal abuser.

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