Gravesend man sentenced for breaking kitten's neck (From This Is Local London)

Gravesend pair Dean Oakley and Natasha Murphy sentenced after kitten's neck was broken

7:30am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Where I Live By Kelly Smale

A GRAVESEND man has been banned from keeping animals for two years after he killed a kitten by breaking its neck.

Dean Oakley, of Doria Drive, and Natasha Murphy, of Princes Road, Gravesend, were sentenced at Dartford Magistrates' Court on Thursday (February 2).

Oakley, 35, pleaded guilty to failing in his duty as the person responsible for the welfare of animals after he killed the animal by twisting its neck.

Meanwhile, 28-year-old Murphy pleaded guilty to two counts of the same charge for not protecting her cats from a flea infestation and failing to provide adequate flea control.

Magistrates heard that in July last year Murphy's cat had five kittens but two died of natural causes.

Andrew Wiles, prosecuting, said: "The bodies had been found in an alley way at the rear of her property.

"She said she had put them out there because she believed the foxes would eat them."

Another kitten was ill so Murphy asked Oakley to "put it out of its misery", which he did by twisting its neck once and left it in the alley.

During a police interview Murphy said: "I thought I was in the right. I was in my own home. Mr Oakley was just putting the kitten out of its misery."

Oakley told officers: "It died straight away. I thought it was the best thing to do."

Mr Wiles read out a vet's statement, which said: "Breaking a kitten's neck is not generally considered an acceptable method of killing it due to the strength and thickness of the neck.

"There is potential to cause suffering."

Gurnam Mander, defending, told magistrates this was an "isolated incident" as Murphy had looked after cats since she was a young girl without any problems.

Mr Mander said: "She realises now what she should have done is phoned the RSPCA and sought advice as far as treatment is concerned."

RSPCA officers were alerted to the bodies and removed an adult tabby cat and a kitten from Murphy's house.

The tabby had a bald patch on its abdomen, which was infected and covered in fleas, while the kitten had developed anaemia due to a flea infestation.

Murphy told officers she did not believe the two-week old kittens were old enough to have flea treatment and denied seeing any fleas on the animals.

Both Murphy and Oakley were given a 24-month conditional discharge and disqualified from keeping animals for two years.

Murphy was ordered to pay prosecution costs of £600 and had her remaining cats seized by the RSPCA.

Oakley must also pay prosecution costs of £300.

An RSPCA spokeswoman told News Shopper: "Nobody should attempt to put an animal to sleep unless they are qualified to do so in a kind and humane way, such as a vet.

"The owner should have got treatment for the adult cat. If the adult cat had not been infested with fleas the kitten would have been fine."

Injuring or killing animals

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 pet owners have a 'duty of care' to provide for their animals' basic needs, such as adequate food and water, veterinary treatment and an appropriate environment in which to live.

With regards to wild animals, wildlife crime officer PC John Blackman explained: "Wild animals are covered by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

"You can't show cruelty to a wild animal. Some can come under the heading of a pest for example a fox, rabbit or magpie.

"That doesn't mean you can go and kill one, unless you have a licence from DEFRA."