UK teen jailed for a year for torturing two kittens to death
He admitted planning the attack and researching how to 'get away with murder.'
Police found knives, blowtorches, and notes detailing violent urges on his phone.
A UK judge on Monday sentenced a 17-year-old boy to one year in prison for the 'sadistic' torture and killing of two kittens.
The teenager had also wanted to kill a human and researched how to 'get away with murder', according to the prosecutor.
Two kittens were found cut open with ropes attached to them in a park in northwest London in May.
Both kittens had pieces of flesh and fur apparently burned off them. Police also found knives, blowtorches and scissors at the scene.
The teenager, along with a 17-year-old girl, both pleaded guilty to possessing a knife and causing unnecessary suffering to the animals. Neither can be named for legal reasons.
The girl is also due to be sentenced at London's Highbury court.
District judge Hina Rai said the killings were 'without doubt the most awful offences against animals I have seen in this court'.
The boy's actions were 'extensively planned' and 'clearly premeditated', said the judge, sentencing him to 12 months in a detention centre.
Notes found on the boy's phone read:
I really wanted to murder someone. Every day, I was researching how to get away with murder.
'I have killed cats to reduce my urges.'
His actions 'showed a degree of planning' in 'finding the animals, taking them to a public place and killing them in such a sadistic manner', prosecutor Valerie Benjamin told the court.
The teen told police he suffered from 'depression, anxiety, hallucinations and self-harm', the prosecutor added.
According to the BBC, UK police are investigating possible links to a wider international network of online users who share and film footage of cats being tortured or killed.
The British charity RSPCA recorded 1 726 reports of intentional harm to cats in 2022, around five cats a day.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ruth Szymankiewicz: Death of teenager at intensive psychiatric care unit ruled as unlawful killing
The death of a teenage girl who was left unsupervised at a children's mental health ward by an agency worker using a fake ID has been ruled as an unlawful killing. Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, died at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford on 14 February 2022 while she was a patient at Taplow Manor, which was ran by the Huntercombe Group, in Berkshire. She had been left unsupervised by an agency worker before her death, an inquest jury at Buckinghamshire Coroner's Court heard. after an investigation by Sky News revealed accusations of the overuse of restraint and medication along with inadequate staffing and training. More than 50 former Huntercombe patients have spoken to Sky News as part of a joint investigation with The Independent. Ruth was being treated for an eating disorder at Taplow Manor when she was placed on the "level three observation" plan following earlier incidents of self-harm - meaning she had to be kept within eyesight at all times. However, the 14-year-old was able to shut herself in her bedroom at the hospital's psychiatric intensive care unit - also known as Thames ward - on 12 February 2022 when she self-harmed. She died two days later. The agency worker responsible for watching Ruth - a man then known as Ebo Acheampong - had never worked in a psychiatric hospital environment before coming to Taplow Manor on 12 February 2022 for his first shift. A police investigation later found he was hired by the Platinum agency - which supplied staff for the hospital - under a false name. Mr Acheampong never returned to work at the hospital following Ruth's death and fled the UK for Ghana. The ward was missing at least half of its staff on the day Ruth, who had self harmed several times in the past, was left unsupervised, the coroner's court heard. Mr Acheampong was originally working on a different ward, but was asked to join the team on Thames ward because they were so short-staffed nurses could not go on breaks, jurors were previously told. Sky News investigations into Huntercombe units: A risk management form known as a "Datix incident" had been filed on the day by Michelle Hancey - a support worker with 18 years' experience with The Huntercombe Group - who raised concerns the Thames ward team would "fail to monitor patients on prescribed special observation because of staff shortage". During the inquest, jurors were shown CCTV footage of the moment Mr Acheampong left Ruth unsupervised while she sat in the ward's lounge watching TV, enabling her to leave the room. In the footage, Mr Acheampong can be seen leaving the room repeatedly - at first only for seconds at a time, then for two minutes - prompting the teenager to walk up to the door and look into the lobby, seemingly waiting for the opportunity to leave the room. She was last captured on CCTV walking out of the ward's day room "completely on her own" before going straight to her bedroom and closing the door behind her, coroner Ian Wade KC told the inquest. Around 15 minutes passed before a nurse discovered the teenage girl and raised the alarm. An inquest jury sitting at Buckinghamshire Coroner's Court in Beaconsfield returned a conclusion of unlawful killing today. Jurors could be seen crying as they recorded their conclusion, as well as the coroner and members of the family. Tapolow had been inspected twice by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) prior to the incident, the inquest previously heard. It was rated as "overall inadequate" in a CQC report dated February 2021. The Huntercombe Group merged with the Active Care Group in August 2022. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the . You can also follow or subscribe to our to keep up with the latest news.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Car parks and vape shops: Cumbrian police report on busy first month of summer
As part of the ongoing Safer Streets Summer Campaign, Eden Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) have had a proactive and busy first month working alongside partners to help keep our communities safe. The initiative brings together local agencies in a joint effort to enhance safety and reduce anti-social behaviour (ASB) in town centres during the summer months. Over the first month of the campaign the team, alongside their partners have: Conducted test purchases of vapes with support from our Police Cadets. This method helps assess whether licensed retailers are complying with age restriction laws. We are pleased to report all premises visited asked the children for IDs. Dispersed several vehicles from car parks in Penrith where ASB linked to vehicles has been a recurring issue. Held a youth engagement event on 25 July at Castle Park, Penrith, in collaboration with Cumbria Fire and Rescue. The event focused on youth ASB and included important fire and water safety advice. Hosted dedicated police desks at Penrith Library at scheduled times, offering residents the chance to speak directly with their local PCSO or officer about any concerns. Carried out Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) enforcement patrols in partnership with Westmorland and Furness Council to address issues in public areas. Sergeant Maddi Bennet, Eden NPT, said: 'The summer period is one of the busiest times of the year for our officers and staff. 'Being so close to the Lakes, we see a significant increase in visitors attending events and enjoying all that Cumbria has to offer. 'We're committed to delivering visible and effective neighbourhood policing to prevent crime and ASB. 'Over the coming weeks, we'll continue this work to help keep people safe.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Salford gangster Jamie Rothwell sentenced to 43 years
Salford gangster Jamie Rothwell has been sentenced to 43 years after ordering underworld hits, arranging huge drug deals and the sale of guns from his Spanish bolthole. Rothwell was exposed after European law enforcement hacked into the EncroChat encrypted communications network, a system used by organised crime across the continent. The 38-year-old became one of the National Crime Agency's most wanted after messages revealed he had organised a shooting in Warrington in furtherance of a gangland feud, while he lived in a plush apartment in Barcelona. But the net eventually closed in on Rothwell and he was brought back to the UK to face justice. He was sentenced today at Manchester Crown Court, appearing by video link from HMP Wakefield. Rothwell had been brought to court yesterday (Weds) under armed guard to listen to his barrister make submissions to the judge on his behalf. His lawyer claimed that Rothwell is 'tired' of his life of crime and wants to help young people avoid taking his path. Sign up to the MEN Court newsletter here Rothwell had pleaded guilty to a series of gun and drug offences. He received a total sentence of 43 years. His sentence is comprised of a total of 18 years for drugs offences, and a consecutive 25 year extended sentence for firearms offences. The extended sentence includes 21 years in prison and an extra four years on licence. Sentencing, Judge John Potter told him: "Mr Rothwell, you have lived much of your life as a professional criminal involved in serious organised crime. "The offences you fall to be sentenced for graphically illustrate your willingness to follow this path and cause loss and misery to others as you do so. You issued orders to others and you expected them to be obeyed. I heard evidence from your co-accused that they feared you. "You obtained wealth by having access to millions of pounds of cash." The judge said that Rothwell, who lived in Spain and Portugal, had dealt over 200 kilos of cocaine and five kilos of ketamine, with the cocaine alone said to be worth £7 million. Rothwell was a leading light in the Salford gang feud which erupted between 2014 and 2019 between rival outfits the A Team and the Anti A-Team. Rothwell was said to be the right-hand-man of Michael Carroll, the alleged leader of the Anti A-Team, in opposition to the A-Team, said to be led by Stephen Britton. Gangster Paul Massey was said to be Britton's mentor. Rothwell was shot at a car wash in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, in March 2015 as part of the feud. A gunman sprayed bullets at him but Rothwell miraculously survived. In July that year, Massey was shot dead outside his home in Salford by Mark Fellows, an Anti A-Team associate nicknamed The Iceman. Months later, in October, seven-year-old Christian Hickey was shot at his doorstep as the A Team sought revenge in a botched hit, thought to have been targeting the schoolboy's father, a close associate of Carroll. Rothwell was extradited back to the UK from Spain in June 2020 following the EncroChat hack. Months later, in October that year, Rothwell went on trial at Manchester Crown Court alongside four other men, including Mark Fellows, accused of conspiring to murder two A Team associates, after one was shot in February 2015 and the other attacked with a machete in March that year. Rothwell was found not guilty of all charges. At some point after his acquittals, Rothwell left the country. He was arrested in Amsterdam on December 14, 2020, before being extradited back to the UK in March 2021 after police obtained a European Arrest Warrant. Join our Court and Crime WhatsApp group HERE In connection with the EncroChat case, Rothwell pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life; one count of conspiracy to possess ammunition with intent to endanger life; conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class A, namely cocaine; two counts of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and a single count of conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class B, namely ketamine. He pleaded not guilty to five other charges. They were two counts of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent; two counts of conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class A, namely diamorphine and cannabis and a single count of possession of criminal property, namely money. Rothwell had been on trial last year after denying a series of charges, but the case was adjourned after he was stabbed in prison. Nine other men are also being sentenced as part of Rothwell's case.
