CONVICTED (2020) | Michael P Tognetti, born c. 1997, of 82 Main Street, Wolston, Coventry CV8 3HJ – strangled his pet cat to death and buried her in his garden
Cat killer: Michael Tognetti
Tognetti strangled elderly tortoiseshell cat Ruby to death with a trouser cord to “put her out of her misery”. He then buried her body in a shallow grave in his garden.
A member of the public tipped off the RSPCA and Inspector Helen Smith visited Tognetti’s address to investigate. Tognetti told the inspector he was expecting a visit from the charity and took her to the area of his garden where he’d buried Ruby’s body.
He told Inspector Smith he had used a cord from his jogging bottoms and said it took about 30 seconds to kill Ruby. He killed her, he said, because Ruby was elderly and needed to be put out of her misery.
Ruby was “put out of her misery” by her callous owner Michael Tognetti
Veterinary examination confirmed that she had died due to strangulation.
Inspector Smith said: “Anyone with concerns about an animal coming to the end of their life should seek veterinary advice and putting a pet to sleep to end any suffering should be done in the most humane way possible.”
Another cat at the property, a male called Oscar, was signed into RSPCA care and has since been rehomed.
Sentencing: 24-month community service order; a total of £390 costs and charges. Lifetime ban on keeping animals.
CONVICTED (2018) | county lines drug dealer Dylan Uttley (also known as Dylan Ojapah), born 09/06/1998, most recent known address Onslow Road, Liverpool L6 3BA – took selfies with a woman’s Lhasa Apso before killing the dog by hanging him
Dylan Uttley had asked a Peterhead woman if he could use her home to sell drugs – a practice known as “cuckooing.”
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that she refused – but left the property to go and stay with a friend.
When she returned the next day, she discovered her home had been broken into – and spotted her beloved Lhasa Apso hanging from a door.
She smashed a window to get in and desperately tried to resuscitate the dog before realising he was dead.
The court heard neighbours heard her screams, and called the police.
Police searched a property on Seaton Drive in Aberdeen the following month, and came across Uttley.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Wright said: “Photographs of the accused and of the dead dog were recovered.
“An examination established these photographs had been taken at the locus, the first image was a selfie of the accused taken before hanging the dog.”
Uttley, whose address was given in court papers as Polmont YOI, admitted killing the dog.
He also confessed to supplying cocaine and diamorphine in August and September 2017.
Sheriff Jack Brown locked Uttley up for three years, and told him: “It is evident that you are not at the lowest end of the chain as far as this supply is concerned and you openly accept you employed others to sell drugs.”
He described the killing of the dog as a “singularly evil, callous and barbaric act” which Uttley “compounded by taking photographs of it.”
CONVICTED (2018) | Kieran Haynes, born 19/01/1998, of Devon Gardens, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead CH42 4RF – beat a young kitten, suffocated him with a duvet and then hanged him from outside a block of flats
Kieran Haynes beat a kitten, smothered him with a duvet and then hanged his body outside his ex’s flat because he had scratched him
Haynes pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the 11-week-old kitten named Niko.
RSPCA inspector Anthony Joynes investigated the case after Niko’s body was found hanging outside flats where Haynes’ ex-partner lived on November 23, 2017.
Inspector Joynes said: “This poor kitten was found hanging from a piece of rope outside the block of flats, clearly having suffered a horrific injury.
“The kitten was recognised as belonging to Haynes, as he had posted photos of the kitten on social media pages before the incident.
“When I interviewed Haynes, he admitted that he had hit Niko with the back of his hand after Niko scratched him.
“He said that afterwards, Niko’s face became swollen and he became wobbly – at which point Haynes went out for seven hours.
“When he returned, Niko was in the same spot and was lying in his own faeces.
“He was clearly severely injured with a broken eye socket and was suffering from swelling to the brain.
“Haynes said that as he approached Niko to check on him and attempt to stroke him that the kitten had attacked him. At this point he has then covered Niko with a duvet and held it there until the kitten stopped moving.
“Afterwards, Haynes took Niko’s dead body and hanged him from a piece of rope outside a block of flats where his ex-partner lived.”
A post-mortem examination found that Niko had suffered from a broken eye socket and that he had been smothered so hard that he had lacerations on his lip from his teeth.
He also had a large bruise on his skull.
He added: “When I joined this job nine years ago I knew I’d be dealing with difficult situations and seeing heartbreaking sights.
“Nothing however can fully prepare you for dealing with cases such as this one, where the animal is already deceased when you arrive.
“This case involved the purposeful infliction of immense pain and suffering by way of physical violence on a completely defenceless and vulnerable 11-week-old kitten.
“Animals can’t choose their owners and unfortunately poor little Niko found himself in the wrong place, at the wrong time and in the care of the wrong individual.
“This case will stay with me for a very long time and I’m just glad that through our investigation we have at least not allowed Niko’s suffering to go completely unanswered.”
Sentencing: 16-week prison sentence; £115 victim surcharge. Disqualified from keeping animals for life.
#MostEvil | Graham Thomas, born c. 1962, of 11 Rowan Place, Rhymney, Tredegar NP22 5DT – hung a border collie from a tree and lied that the dog had done it himself
Gypsy traveller Graham Thomas was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a Welsh border collie named Prince by hanging him by his neck with a rope from a tree in August 2017.
Three witnesses called the RSPCA after seeing the incident in the area of a farm in Rhymney.
Thomas told the court it was an accidental death, and said the dog had ran up the tree with a 20-ft piece of rope attached to his neck which became twisted around the tree.
Thomas said by the time he reached the tree, the dog had died.
Witnesses told the RSPCA that before the incident happened, they had seen Thomas shouting and swearing at Prince.
Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA inspector Emma Smith said: “This is such an unusual and disturbing case where a sheepdog was killed by his owner allegedly because he wouldn’t round up his sheep properly.
“Prince would have suffered immensely which resulted sadly in his death. This deliberate cruelty is just so horrific to fathom.
“Following the incident his body was then removed by the defendant and burnt. It must have been extremely distressing for the witnesses to have seen this.
“We are very grateful to them for reporting it to us and assisting with our investigations.”
Sentencing: 18-week custodial sentence. Total of £865 costs and charges. Banned from keeping dogs and sheep for life.
#MostEvil | Jamie Lee Weir, born 26/09/1995, most recently of Home Farm Road, Birkenhead – tortured a dog by hanging him by his collar, stabbing him and burning him alive
Jamie Weir
Weir pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Staffy cross Jack, resulting in the dog’s death. In an interview Weir admitted he had carried out the horrific attack, which included Jack being hung from his collar on a coat hook, as “he had never liked the dog.”
The court heard that the RSPCA received a report of a half-buried dog in a garden in Corbyn Street, Wallasey, on November 18, 2015, which led to Inspector Anthony Joynes going round to the property to investigate.
Weir with girlfriend Laura Hurst
Inspector Joynes said: “The dog, who belonged to Jamie’s then-girlfriend’s mum [Lisa Hurst, who was convicted separately of failing to prevent her dog from being tortured and killed] went for a post-mortem examination and it showed that there were horrific injuries to his body indicating he had been subject to sustained attacks and torture.
Staffy Jack was buried in the garden after being tortured to death
“Weir admitted to beating him with a stick and hanging him from his collar on a coat hook on the wall, where he was then stabbed numerous times.
“It is likely that the dog was dying, but was still alive.
“He was then taken out into the garden and set on fire before being hastily buried.”
Laura Hurst pictured outside court. She was also charged in relation to Jack’s death as she is believed to have been present, but the outcome of the case against her was never published online.
Jack’s blood was found on walls in the house, on a radiator and by a door.
Inspector Joynes said: “It is sickening to think what Jack went through – it is completely stomach-churning.
“He was tormented and tortured to death in the worst imaginable way.
“There was no way Jack could have escaped from this horrific act of cruelty – he stood no chance. Jack would have been terrified and in so much pain.
“It is absolutely horrific what he went through and it still sickens me today.”
Sentence: 24-week prison sentence to run consecutively to a four-year prison sentence he is currently serving; £536 costs and victim surcharge of £115. Disqualified from keeping animals for life.
Lisa Hurst, born 26/8/1969,, most recently of Laird Street, Birkenhead CH41 8EW admitted in court that she failed to prevent her dog, Jack, from being tortured and killed.
Hurst accepted that she was responsible for the dog at the time of his death, and admitted she had “failed to take steps as were reasonable in the circumstances to prevent any harm or suffering”.
The court was told she had lived in “absolutely appalling conditions” and had previously looked after the dog “quite well”.
Sentence: four months in prison, suspended for 12 months, 12-month probation order; £300 in costs; banned from keeping all animals for life.
CONVICTED (2015) | Everald Hugh James, born 03/08/1967, formerly of Mottingham, South London and more recently Lewis King House, Plaistow Lane, Bromley BR1 3TE – strangled a bull mastiff and hung him outside his house with rope as the dog gasped for air
Callous James, who is also known as ‘Shadow’, was found guilty of hanging the three-year-old dog, known as Boyzee, while punching him in the face as the terrified dog “gasped for air”. He had denied the charge, claiming Boyzee died accidentally during a “tug of war”.
Giving evidence, James’ neighbour Harlon Horsford told the court how he had heard shouting at about 8pm on September 6, 2015. He opened the front door and saw James with Boyzee.
He said: “He had the dog with a rope wrapped round its throat, repeatedly hitting the dog in the face and throat with his left hand.”
He stated the rope was wrapped around a metal railing, one end strangling the dog and the other end being pulled by James’ right hand, as he hit him with his left.
Mr Horsford continued: “The dog was secured to the railings.
“I confronted him, I said let go and he wouldn’t. He said he doesn’t care about the police or RSPCA, he’s named Shadow and no one can tell him nothing, It’s his dog.
“So I punched him in the face, he fell back on the floor and Boyzee dropped to the floor.
“I took the rope off of Boyzee’s neck. He couldn’t breathe properly, he was gasping for air. I pushed his tongue to the left, he had saliva all in his mouth, I was trying to breathe air into him.
“His back legs were twitching, he made his last breath and passed away. He was a lovely dog, very loving, very gentle.”
While giving evidence, Mr Horsford broke down in tears and had to compose himself. He said that throughout the attack Boyzee’s legs were not able to reach the floor, and he scrabbled to get a footing.
James was arrested later that day. He initially stated he was taking the dog outside to do his business, and dragged him through a crowd of people, inadvertently strangling it. But while giving evidence he claimed it was actually a tug of war between him and Mr Horsford which accidentally killed the dog.
James, who admitted he had been drinking that day, said: “He grabbed the lead, I said let go of my dog. He said he wanted the dog.
“I just kept pulling my dog not looking back. When I turned back around I saw the dog on the floor.
“I could never harm my dog, it’s what keeps me alive. I’ve got a 15-year-old daughter I can’t see, I bought the dog to keep me company.”
When passing the verdict, magistrates described his testimony as “not credible”.
Sentencing: 18 weeks in jail. Indefinite ban on keeping animals.
CONVICTED (2013) | Karl Dyke, born c. 1961, of Barrie Road, Green Lanes, Hereford HR4 0QQ – tried to kill his neighbour’s cat by hanging her from a noose.
Evil Karl Dyke tied a slipknot around the neck of his neighbour’s cat in an attempt to kill her. He admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal at an earlier hearing, but claimed he only wanted to teach her a lesson for soiling his garden.
Magistrates didn’t believe him, however, and found him guilty of attempting to kill the animal, a Siamese known as Corolie.
The court heard how in July 2013, Dyke’s neighbour Tracey Lawrence saw him carrying her cat – who looked to be in distress.
Peter Love, prosecuting, told magistrates that Mrs Lawrence had waited on Dyke’s drive while her husband Michael entered Dyke’s garden.
Michael Lawrence told the court that when he opened the door to the shed he found Dyke hanging Corolie from a rope.
The cat’s face was contorted and she looked “moments from death”, he said.
A brief altercation followed and the cat ran away with the noose still attached to her neck. She was later found shaking in fear underneath a vehicle.
Corolie was rushed to a local vet where she was found to have multiple neck injuries. She also suffered soft tissue damage to her neck and had a small cut on her lower lip.
Dyke told the court he hanged the cat to “teach her a lesson” because she kept going to the toilet in his garden. He said he had intended to suspend the cat from a table in his shed “for a few hours” before releasing her when he went to bed.
Chairman of the bench, Julia Steels, told Dyke that the offence was so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified because he had “wilfully tortured” and attempted to kill the cat.
CONVICTED (2013) | Sam Smith, born c. 1959, of the travellers site, Romany Lane, Kessingland, Lowestoft NR33 7RB – failed to protect a horse found hanging from a cliff face.
Smith, a traveller, was jailed for eight weeks after the unnamed colt was found on a cliff face in Pakefield near Lowestoft, hanging from a tether around his neck.
He admitted causing unnecessary suffering and failing to meet the horse’s welfare needs over the incident in March 2013.
The RSPCA said one of its inspectors, Nicky Thorne, was called out to the horse near Pontins Holiday Park and managed to cut him down with her pocket knife.
In a six-hour rescue, the unconscious pony was rescued from the beach with help from the fire service and taken to the Norfolk-based Redwings Horse Sanctuary for treatment.
Tragically, he died from a collapsed windpipe on arrival at the charity.
Ms Thorne said: “I was so upset; I kept telling the horse he would be the most famous and looked after horse in Suffolk if he pulled through.
“To lose him after six hours of trying to save him was awful.
“I am so grateful to the fire service, to the coastguard and to Redwings – everyone went above and beyond to try to save this horse’s life.
“I called the horse Frank after Frank Sinatra as he had blue eyes and I will remember him for a long time.”
Nic de Brauwere, senior veterinary surgeon at Redwings, said: “There is no doubt that young Frank suffered terribly, which is harrowing enough in itself.
“But what is most upsetting is the knowledge that the whole incident was completely unnecessary.”
Sentencing | Jailed for eight weeks. Banned from keeping animals for 15 years (expires October 2028).
