Finally the West Ham cat kicker goes to court!!

Judges have been told to give harsher sentences if the guilty person filmed the offence and posted it on social media. Unfortunately his excuse will be that the brother filmed it, though he obviously agreed to that, and posted it. I would like to see both of them given an immediate (not suspended) custodial sentence because a fine would be meaningless to someone so rich, but somehow I doubt it will happen. I would like to be proved wrong. A custodial sentence would harm his career too, a just punishment.

He's got 180 hours of community service and a five year ban on keeping cats. I hope the CS is menial, unpleasant and carried out in full public view.

And of course he can get any animal but a cat and do the same again. Where's the sense in that? Perhaps he could try getting a German shepherd, that would keep him in his place.

Clearing shopping trolleys from murky canals, litter picking on verges?
Cleaning up faeces at the zoo?

As long as the community service doesn't involve teaching football skills to impressionable youngsters.

It's a pathetic sentence imo.

I'd have liked him to get a month in prison.

Zoejory

I'd have liked him to get a month in prison.

Or six

People who abuse animals can now face a maximum sentence of five years in prison as the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act comes into effect today (Tuesday 29 June)
29th June 2021

Indeed.

Hes been given 180 hours community service, and banned from keeping cats for five years.

How they monitor whether he is keeping cats or not, I don't know. My daughter's next door neighbour was banned after abandoning her cat in her flat for over a week. She's had at least three more since the ban.

Sorry - obviously I am too slow at typing, as others have posted before me

Didn’t you report her Hurdygurdy?

The brother has been sentenced to 140 hours CS.

I saw a comment in a newspaper from someone who said he should have received a fine which would really hurt equal to a years salary to be donated to animal charities. I have little doubt his "community service" will consist of teaching football, something he would actually enjoy rather than a punishment.

Germanshepherdsmum

Didn’t you report her Hurdygurdy?

Yes. But after the first instance, nothing seems to have happened sadly.

She'd obviously left the balcony door open for the first cat (but no food or water) as it managed to make its way to my daughter's balcony (2nd floor). The RSPCA became involved, accompanied by the police, who broke into the flat in case the neighbour was unwell, and the cat was rehomed. The RSPCA took her to court where the ban was imposed.

Not much later than that, two cats appeared on her balcony (no sign of her again) and one fell from the balcony. It got up and ran off, never to be seen again, so hopefully it wasn't badly injured.

RSPCA were called again, but as far as my daughter knows, took no action.

I was at my daughter's a few months ago, and I could hear a cat miaowing. As there are only two flats on that floor, and my daughter doesn't have a cat, the assumption is that the neighbour has/had yet another cat. It's not been heard again though.

If the neighbour does another disappearing act (this happens quite regularly), and if there sounds to be a cat there, the RSPCA will be called again.

Dreadful behaviour. Why on earth does she have cats? I’m afraid I would have been pestering the RSPCA for action. You could also tell the police given that she’s in breach of a court order handed down in criminal proceedings. I really wouldn’t just wait and see what happens

180 hours community service, I suppose it's all we can expect. Horrible individual.

Bitterly disappointed and .

The brother is back in training at his football club, contract extended.

Appalling.

I was really hoping for a custodial sentence ?☹️

Angry and disappointed. A ridiculous penalty.

On a scale of 1 to 10 for child or animal abuse he hardly registers. There are so much worse cases, starving animals or children to death, beating animals or children to death, serious abuse lasting several months. He was heartily shamed on top of his sentence so I'm really not that bothered.

Sadly that's true. I think if he had been given a custodial sentence (magistrates can't impose more than 12 months) he would have appealed and the RSPCA would have paid the costs if he'd won, which he undoubtedly would have. So the best we could realistically hope for. I look forward to seeing photos of him carrying out very menial work.

Whoever is in charge of that football club is not setting a good example at all, are they!
Is this the manager? Daryl McMahon:

(He looks a charmer)