Gardener, 69, who drowned his neighbour’s pet cat because it kept digging up carrots and leeks from his vegetable plot is facing jail
- Richard Giles, 69, grabbed hold of cat and drowned it as it was ‘ruining’ his crops
- Giles, from Sherborne, Dorset, admits killing the pet, adding he was ‘driven to it’
- RSPCA prosecutor says starting point for sentencing should be a prison term
A gardener who drowned his neighbour’s cat because it kept digging up carrots and leeks from his vegetable plot is facing jail.
Richard Giles grabbed hold of tabby cat Ruby after she repeatedly made her way into his garden.
The 69-year-old, who said the cat was ‘ruining’ his crops then callously drowned her in water.
He has admitted to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, but claims he was ‘driven to it,’ after Ruby kept coming onto his property.
Richard Giles, 69, drowned his neighbour’s cat after catching the tabby ‘ruining’ his garden vegetable patch in the village of Adber, near Sherborne in Dorset
The RSPCA was told about the matter and investigated Giles who was charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Giles, from the village of Adber, near Sherborne, Dorset, admitted the offence and said he was driven to it.
He told Weymouth Magistrates Court: ‘I said from get go I was guilty of killing the cat. I did it because I was driven to it.
‘The cat kept coming on my property and ruining my fruit and vegetables. I work hard.’
Matthew Knight, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told the court: ‘He drowned his neighbour’s cat.
‘Because the offence was so serious I recommend a starting option of custody.’
Giles told Weymouth Magistrates Court ‘I work hard,’ as he admitted to catching drowning his neighbour’s cat
Giles, pictured leaving Weymouth Magistrates’ Court, admitted to one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protect animal. He will next appear in court on April 6
Giles, who spent 20 years working for rope makers Bridport Gundry, had his sentencing adjourned for reports.
He will next appear at Weymouth Magistrates’ Court for a pre-sentencing report on April 6.
The case bears similarities to the Beatrix Potter story of Peter Rabbit and the character Mr McGregor, who tried to catch and kill the rabbits ruining his allotment.
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