Latest news with #kittentorture
The Independent
04-08-2025
- The Independent
Teenagers who tortured and killed two kittens sentenced
A teenage girl and boy who tortured and killed two kittens have been sentenced after one animal was 'completely ripped open' and found hanging from a tree. The 17-year-olds, who cannot be named for legal reasons, launched the 'sadistic' attack on the animals on 3 May near Ickenham Road, Ruislip, in north-west London. The kittens were found cut open with ropes attached to them, and 'dead pieces of flesh and fur appeared to have been burnt off them', a court heard. The hearing was told the boy had also dreamed of killing a human and 'getting away with murder', with police analysis of his phone showing he had also researched 'sacrificing animals to satan' and watched a 'significant amount of videos of animals that have been mutilated and people that have been beheaded'. The court heard a note on his device read: 'I have got close to satisfying my urges. I have skinned, strangled and stabbed cats.' The police officer also told the hearing there were 'a few images of kittens that had been quite badly mutilated' on the phone of the girl, who was aged 16 at the time, as well as videos downloaded from a 'gore website' in the months leading up to the incident. The defendants appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court in May and pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the protected animals by 'mutilating and killing' them. They also both admitted one count of possession of a knife at Ruislip Golf Course. The boy was sentenced to a 12-month detention and training order, and the girl was sentenced to a nine-month detention and training order, both at the same court in London on Monday. Passing sentence, District Judge Hina Rai described the case as 'deeply shocking and concerning' and told both defendants: 'Without a doubt, these are the most awful offences against animals that I have seen in this court.' The judge said the pair's 'clearly premeditated' actions would have caused 'immense suffering' to the kittens who were 'vulnerable and unable to escape'. The court heard members of the public had seen the pair walking on a footpath and holding hands in West Ruislip on the day of the incident. The teenage boy was holding a black carrier bag, which 'was seen to be moving slightly as if something alive was inside it'. The hearing was told members of the public became concerned when they later saw him and the girl running from the scene, which was described as 'horrific' by one member of the public who warned another to avoid it. Prosecutor Valerie Benjamin told the court police were alerted to the two 'dismembered' kittens left in a wooded area. Officers found a 'small black kitten hanging from a branch' by a red rope at the scene, she said. 'Its body was completely ripped open and its eyes were bulging out,' she added. The other animal 'had been cut open and had rope attached to it' when its body was discovered on the ground nearby, she told the hearing. Knives, blowtorches and scissors, which appeared to have blood on them, were also found at the scene, the hearing was told. The prosecutor described the way in which the animals were killed as 'sadistic'. Ms Benjamin told the court evidence from the boy's phone showed he had spoken about killing cats and dogs, suggesting a degree of planning for the attack – and had even searched how to kill a human. '[He] questioned how easy it would be to get away with murder, killing homeless people,' she said. A police officer who had been involved in reviewing the boy's phone detailed what she found on the device from the start of April until his arrest in May this year. She read out to the court a note discovered in his phone, which was written in May after the crime was committed. It stated: 'I really wanted to murder someone, and every day I was researching how to get away with murder. I have got close to satisfying my urges. I have skinned, strangled and stabbed cats.' Ms Benjamin told the court the girl had said she had carried out the attack because she was 'interested in biology and had done a dissection at school'. The court heard the boy may have ADHD and autism, which have yet to be diagnosed, and suffered depression, anxiety, hallucinations and self-harm. The hearing was told the girl had 'vulnerabilities' that were taken into account. Both had no previous convictions. A lifetime disqualification order from owning or keeping animals was also imposed by the court against both defendants.
Daily Mail
04-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Teen jailed over 'sadistic' torture and killing of two kittens in London woods
A 17-year-old boy has been detained for the 'sadistic' torture and killing of two kittens which were found cut open in a park in north-west London. There was no reaction from the teenager as he was handed his 12-month detention and training order at London's Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court. District judge Hina Rai told the youngster the killings were 'without a doubt the most awful offences against animals I have seen in this court'. A small black kitten which was found in a wooded area near Ickenhom Road hanging from a red rope and was completely ripped open and with its eyes bulging out, the court heard. The other kitten was on the ground with ropes attached. Both kittens were dead and there were pieces of flesh and fur which appeared to be burned off them. Knives, blowtorches and scissors were also found at the scene. A member of the public who found the mutilated kittens on May 3rd warned another passerby not to go down the footpath because 'there is something horrific down there'. The boy, along with a 17-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had previously pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the protected animals. The pair also each admitted one count of possession of a knife at Ruislip Golf Course. The girl has yet to be sentenced. Earlier a passerby had seen the boy holding a black animal carrier with netting at the end which was 'moving slightly as if something live was inside it'. In sentencing the judge told the boy that his actions were 'extensively planned' and 'clearly premeditated'. Judge Hina Raijudge added: 'You said sorry in your (police) interview but reports also show that you struggle to show empathy and realise that the kittens would suffer. 'It seems you chose the kittens because they have emotion and you would have power over them.' Notes found on the boy's phone detailed his desire to murder people too. He had previously written: 'I really wanted to murder someone. 'Every day I was researching how to get away with murder. 'I have come close. I have killed cats to reduce my urges. 'I have skinned, strangled and stabbed cats.' Prior to this offence, the boy - who has reportedly suffered with depression, anxiety, hallucinations and self-harm - had no previous convictions. Earlier prosecutor Valerie Benjamin told the court the boy's actions 'showed a degree of planning in terms of looking for animals and researching in terms of killing animals and his desire to go on to killing humans and how it would be to get away with murder and killing a homeless person'. The horrific scenes were not a 'spur of the moment' event but involved planning in 'finding the animals, taking them to a public place and killing them in such a sadistic manner'.
The Independent
04-08-2025
- The Independent
Teenager, 17, detained for ‘sadistic' torture and killing of two kittens
A 17-year-old boy has been detained for the 'sadistic' torture and killing of two kittens which were found cut open in a wooded area in north-west London. The kittens were found with ropes attached to them and had been cut open near Ickenham Road, Ruislip, on May 3. A member of the public who found them warned another passerby not to go down the footpath because 'there is something horrific down there'. There was no reaction from the teenager as he stood in the dock at London's Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court and was handed a 12-month detention and training order. District judge Hina Rai told the youngster the killings were 'without a doubt the most awful offences against animals I have seen in this court'. The court heard the teenager had also dreamed of killing a human and 'getting away with murder'. The boy, along with a 17-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had previously pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the protected animals by mutilating and killing them. The pair also each admitted one count of possession of a knife at Ruislip Golf Course. The girl has yet to be sentenced. A small black kitten which was found hanging from a red rope and was completely ripped open and with its eyes bulging out, the court heard. The other kitten was on the ground with ropes attached. Both kittens were dead and there were pieces of flesh and fur which appeared to be burned off them. Knives, blowtorches and scissors were also found at the scene. Earlier a passerby had seen the boy holding a black animal carrier with netting at the end which was 'moving slightly as if something live was inside it', the court heard. In sentencing the judge told the boy that his actions were 'extensively planned' and 'clearly pre-mediated'. The judge told him: 'You said sorry in your (police) interview but reports also show that you struggle to show empathy and realise that the kittens would suffer.' She added: 'It seems you chose the kittens because they have emotion and you would have power over them.' Notes on the boy's phone detailed his desire to get away with murder, reading: 'I really wanted to murder someone. Every day I was researching how to get way with murder. 'I have come close. I have killed cats to reduce my urges. 'I have skinned, strangled and stabbed cats.' The boy, who may have ADHD and autism which has yet to be diagnosed, had no previous convictions. Earlier prosecutor Valerie Benjamin told the court the boy's actions 'showed a degree of planning in terms of looking for animals and researching in terms of killing animals and his desire to go on to killing humans and how it would be to get away with murder and killing a homeless person'. The horrific scenes were not a 'spur of the moment' event but involved planning in 'finding the animals, taking them to a public place and killing them in such a sadistic manner'. The boy admitted his role in the animal cruelty during his police interview. Ms Benjamin also told the court: 'He gave a prepared statement saying he was sorry for what he had done and took responsibility saying he was in a bad state of mind. 'He said he suffered depression, anxiety, hallucinations and self-harm.'
BBC News
04-08-2025
- BBC News
Cats electrocuted, drowned and starved cats in online torture groups, BBC finds
An international network that shares online videos of cats and kittens being tortured has members in the UK, the BBC has network is thought to have thousands of members who post, share and sell graphic images and videos of cats being hurt and one group, on an encrypted messaging app, the BBC found evidence of British members suggesting users adopt kittens from the RSPCA to BBC investigation comes after two teenagers admitted torturing and killing two kittens in a park in Ruislip, north-west London, in May. They are due to be sentenced on Monday. The following report contains graphic content and descriptions of animal cruelty. The 16-year-old girl, and boy, aged 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty after the kittens were found cut open and strung up. Knives, blowtorches and scissors were also found at the is understood that police are now looking into possible links to a wider network of cat torturers who film, post and sell footage of attacks on encrypted messaging apps. These groups started in China, but BBC News has identified members now active across the world, including in the scale of the network has been documented by animal rights activists Feline group says between May 2023 and May 2024, a new video showing the torture and execution of a kitten or cat was uploaded approximately every 14 says it has documented 24 groups active this year, the largest of which had more than 1,000 members. The most active torturer is believed to have filmed the torture and killing of more than 200 cats. Chat conversations in one group, seen by the BBC, include what appear to be UK-based accounts discussing how to get hold of cats to member discussed how to adopt kittens from the RSPCA and posted application forms. Another post shared an advert for kittens for sale in the UK, posting that they wanted to "torture them so bad".Lara is a volunteer with Feline Guardians. We have agreed not to use her full name for fear of reprisals. She said: "Every day I feel heartbroken, there is not a day that goes past that I don't feel like my heart is breaking."She has spent time undercover in the forums and says there is no limit to the pain the torturers are prepared to describes it as the "depths of evil". Videos and photographs seen by the BBC are graphic and extremely include footage of cats being drowned and electrocuted. One video speculates on how long a kitten in a cage will survive if it is not given members appear to want to inflict as much pain as possible. In online chats, torturers explain how they use electrocution to resuscitate a cat in order to prolong members are encouraged to mutilate and post videos to gain access to a wider BBC saw evidence that suggested children were taking part in these groups. One member posted: "I'm 10 years old and I like to torture cats." In September 2023, the network even promoted a "100 cat kill" competition, during which members were encouraged to see how quickly the group could torture and kill 100 cats. Videos depicting the horrific torture of cats first went viral in China in man responsible for two extremely graphic videos, Wang Chaoyi, was detained for 15 days by the Chinese authorities and forced to issue a "letter of repentance".But his footage developed a cult following and others began making similar content for Chinese and Western social media, gaining thousands of views, before groups developed on encrypted messaging apps. One website even describes itself as a place for the "cat-lover community" and requests viewers "submit your work".Users can only gain access if they provide evidence of their own cat torture. Who is Little Winnie? "Little Winnie" is a well known name used in the cat torture community for having a profile picture that mocks the Chinese leader Xi Jinping with an image of Winnie the with that name and profile picture are described as administrators in a number of forums. An activist from Feline Guardians got in touch with one of those Little Winnie accounts and lured the man behind it into an online relationship."I felt disgusted having to be friendly and then having to have this friendship with him," the activist, who does not want to be named, communicated for several weeks and infiltrated the network."It was just an endless scroll of torture videos, one after the other," she said. "I felt, 'I just can't watch this'. Even though I'm messaging him, I can't watch this. I had to sort of turn off my brain."Eventually she persuaded the man behind the account to do a video call. From that call, the group identified a 27-year-old man living in the Japanese capital contacted by the BBC, the man said he categorically denied any involvement in these activities. Lara, from Feline Guardians, told us that law enforcement and governments need to tackle the groups, saying "it will only continue to expand and get worse".Feline Guardians has held demonstrations outside the Chinese Embassy, in London, demanding that authorities in Beijing do more."In mainland China, there are no laws that are stopping this. So that means that abusers and torturers can effectively do what they want and live out these very sadistic fantasies without any consequence. These videos are then uploaded, and essentially that's a global problem, because that means that everyone has access to these videos. Children are seeing this," Lara said. Ian Briggs, head of the RSPCA's special operations unit, told the BBC: "Treating animals in this way is absolutely not acceptable and has no place in a modern society that is largely made up of kind, compassionate animal lovers."Johanna Baxter MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cats, said these groups were "a deeply worrying trend, particularly among young men"."Animal abuse often acts as a gateway, making future acts of violence easier to rationalise and commit," she added.
