Two 17-year-olds were sentenced on Monday in London to one year and nine months in prison for torturing a number of cats, in what the judge described as the most horrific case of animal cruelty ever seen in court.
The cats were found in horrific conditions on 3 May in Ruislip, a wooded area in north-west London. One of them was found hanging from a tree with its stomach cut open and its eyes bulging, while another lay on the ground with cords tied to its body. Some pieces of fur and flesh appeared to have been burned. Knives, scissors and gas burners were also found at the scene.
The investigation revealed that one of the perpetrators had saved violent notes on his mobile phone stating that he really wanted to kill someone, that he'd spent days researching how to escape justice after committing murder, and that to control his urges, he had killed cats by suffocating or stabbing them, and had skinned them.
Important information also emerged from the other perpetrator's phone. She had posted an ad on a classifieds website saying she wanted to buy three kittens. In the months leading up to the crime, she had downloaded photos of mutilated kittens onto her mobile phone.
According to the judge, these were clearly premeditated acts. In his ruling, he said he did not know which of the two perpetrators had taken the initiative, but both bore equal responsibility. However, he also said the male perpetrator had shown a lack of empathy.
The British animal welfare services told French news agency AFP that between 2021 and 2024, they had seen a 42% increase in the number of reports of animal abuse involving cats.
According to the BBC, the police are now investigating possible links to an international network of animal abusers who distribute videos of tortured and killed cats on the Internet.
