#MostEvil | Nicky Collinson, born 8 January 1986, of 28 Tynebank, Blaydon-on-Tyne NE21 4RW – kicked and punched a kitten that had wandered over to her.
Mobile phone footage showed Collinson and an unidentified 16-year-old female accomplice laughing as they repeatedly kick and punch the cat, chasing after him when he attempted to escape.
In October 2007 Collinson was banned from keeping animals for life. She was also given a 12-month supervision order, and a six-month night-time curfew.
The youth involved was disqualified from keeping any animal for five years and given a referral order.
Additional information
Collinson later sold her story to Take a Break magazine. This is the text of that article.
The video began and I watched the screen as two young women walked along a dimly lit street. They heard a sound and turned to see a black and white kitten wandering up to them. Its tail swished and its ears pricked up to show it wanted affection.
It was a young, trusting animal and allowed itself to be picked up by one of the women. She cradled it in the crook of her left arm, glanced across at her companion and said: “Quick!” The other woman got out her mobile, aimed it at the kitten and began filming with the phone’s camera.
She said: “It’s ready.”
With that, the woman holding the kitten drew back her fist and punched the animal twice, as hard as she could. It slumped forwards as the women laughed loudly.
Next, she threw the animal into the air. As the kitten began to descend, she swung her foot and drop-kicked it as if it was a rugby ball.
The kitten spun sideways and landed on the road. When it tried to get up to escape, she kicked it again. That’s where the video ended.
I sat back in shock at what I’d seen because that woman torturing the kitten was me. I didn’t remember it because I’d been drunk. Now it was the following morning and I was sober. I’d stayed over at my friend’s house and she was showing me the video she’d taken. I could clearly see the cruelty I’d inflicted.
“It’s hilarious, don’t you think?” she said.
My face burned scarlet with shame. “No,” I said trembling. “You should have stopped me. I’m disgusting.”
I had turned to alcohol after my nan, who was also my best friend, had passed away. She’s suffered from emphysema, a degenerative lung disease, and in her final months, I’d cared for her. I loved her so much and when she died I felt lost. I became quiet and isolated. I was 16 and didn’t know how to deal with my grief. So I tried drinking. Getting drunk helped me stop thinking about my sadness.
My parents were worried and in the end Dad took me to the doctor, who said: “Nicola, your grandma’s death had a big impact on your life. It would be best if you started taking antidepressants.”
I agreed to take them. Although the medication numbed the pain, it didn’t address how or why I felt so bad. I continued to drink. The combination of drugs and alcohol made me feel detached from myself. I became moody and menacing.
My sister Jennifer said: “You’re nice when you’re sober, but I don’t know who you are when you’re drunk. You’re not the sister I love. You need to sort yourself out.”
“Whatever,” I shrugged. That night, when I kicked the kitten, I had been at a friend’s house and we had drunk a lot. I couldn’t remember anything about what happened.
When my friend showed me the clip on her mobile, I was beside myself. I didn’t even know if the kitten had survived.
“I’ve sent it to our friends,” she said.
“You’ve done what?” I said in horror.
“I thought it was funny,” she replied.
Our friends didn’t agree. One sent it to the RSPCA. Later that afternoon I had a visit from the police. They took me to the station where I was shown the video again and questioned. “Is that you kicking the kitten?” the officer asked.
Breaking down, I said: “Yes, it’s me. I’m so sorry. I was drunk and didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t mean to hurt it.”
Despite my tearful pleas, I was charged with causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. The worst thing was, I loved animals. I had two dogs who I looked after on my own. We’d had Perry, a crossbreed Yorkshire terrier, for 17 years. I had also rescued a six-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier called Sparkle from a dogs’ home.
Back home in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, I was plagued by images of me kicking the kitten. I’d think about it and cringe.
I told Dad: “I’m so ashamed of what I’ve done. I’m going to change.”
I meant it. I gave up alcohol and when friends called to invite me out, I refused. Instead, I spent time walking my dogs and playing with my nieces and nephews. Whenever I was tempted to have a drink, I forced myself to think back to what I’d done.
In time I heard that RSPCA inspectors had been unable to trace the kitten or its owners to find out if it had survived. Knowing it may have suffered an excruciating death from its injuries made me even more distressed.
Eventually, I appeared at Gosforth Magistrates Court. I pleaded guilty. Clive McKeag, who was prosecuting for the RSPCA, showed the video footage, recorded on the Cowgate estate in Newcastle.
He said: “This is what can only be described as a very wicked case. It was only a kitten and it came looking for affection.”
He described the attack, saying: “It was absolutely deliberate. There can be no suggestion it was accidental. What makes it worse is that someone was making a video on a camera phone. You can hear joking and laughing.”
The solicitor defending me, Kevin Kivlehan, said: “The girl that you see in the video is very different from the young lady you have before you today. She has suffered from emotional difficulties, anxiety and depression throughout her life until fairly recently. She has abused both drugs and alcohol and that has exacerbated the problem. She once rescued a Staffordshire bull terrier from a neglectful home using her own money. That is the true nature of Nicola Collinson.”
The presiding magistrate addressed me, saying:”Having looked at that video of what you did, we seriously considered custody. It is appalling that any human can do such a thing to another animal. It’s unthinkable and no excuses can be accepted. But we are going to ask for reports. We feel you’re desperately in need of help. Hopefully you’ll live to remember what you’ve done to that cat and never do anything like that again.”
I was sentenced to a 12-month community and supervision order and a six-month curfew from 7pm to 7am. I was also banned for life from keeping animals and ordered to pay costs of £420.
The story appeared in the newspapers and local residents commented. One wrote: “You’re the lowest of the low. I wouldn’t chuck a cup of water on you if you were on fire. In fact, why don’t you just drop dead?”
Another wrote: “Typical scum blaming drink….weren’t drunk enough to aim right TWICE, were you? Hope someone gives you the kicking you so deserve. You are trash.
While another said: “I was mortified when I read about the cat in the paper. It looked so calculated.. she shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near animals.”
The comments hurt but I deserved them. Perhaps I should have been kicked in the same way as I had tortured that kitten. I wish I could do more than just say sorry. But I’ll have to live with the fact that I’m an animal beater forever.
Update April 2022 | Breached Lifetime Ban
Newcastle Magistrates Court heard that on January 10, 2022 a chihuahua and a Jack Russell were found living at Collinson’s home after a housing officer tipped off the RSPCA.
Collinson told an RSPCA inspector that she had been caring for the Jack Russell, called Lucy, since her father’s death in November 2020, and that the chihuahua, known as Robbie, had been brought into the house by her partner in August 2021.
Collinson, who the court heard is unemployed and has four children, was dealt with in her absence after failing to attend the hearing to answer a charge of breaching her lifetime disqualification of keeping all animals, which was handed down at Gosforth Magistrates’ in January 2007.
Alex Bousfield, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told the court that
since the dogs were found at her home Collinson had been co-operative with the RSPCA. Both Lucy and Robbie were found to be in perfect condition and have since been re-homed.
He said Collinson admitted she had been looking after Lucy for around 26 months, and Robbie for five months. No harm had been caused to either animal.
The presiding magistrate said that in Collinson’s absence she was satisfied that the defendant had been served notice to attend court and that having heard a summary of the evidence that she had kept two dogs she was disqualified from having.
She fined Collinson £120 with a £34 victim surcharge for the breach. The lifetime ban on keeping animals still stands.
