A father who hurled his daughter's pet kittens into the River Thames during a drunken episode has been spared a prison sentence. Andrew Shephard, aged 59, was assisting his child in rehoming the cats named River, Lucky, and Happy when he tipped them from a box into the water from Twickenham Bridge last November.
Court Hears Disturbing Details
As he committed the act, witnesses reported hearing Shephard shout phrases like 'let them die' and 'I want them to die', according to testimony presented at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. The father later expressed confusion over his actions, stating he did not know 'what came over me' after pleading guilty to three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Police Rescue and Aftermath
Police officers managed to retrieve the kittens from the water after being alerted by a member of the public who reported 'a male throwing cats into the River Thames'. Two of the pets were described as 'wet and muddy', while another was saved before it could fall in. The court heard that the kittens were in shock, with their body temperatures dropping below 33 degrees Celsius following the traumatic ordeal.
The cats belonged to Shephard's daughter, who had entrusted them to her father to help rehome them and was reportedly 'not aware' of his actions. Shephard spoke to police, expressing that he 'felt bad about the situation' and showed remorse. He admitted to being 'very drunk at the time' and acknowledged having an alcohol problem, noting that his daughter could 'no longer keep' the kittens.
Prosecution and Sentencing
The prosecutor emphasized the severity of the case, stating: 'There was a clear intention for the kittens to be killed so it's extreme and deliberate in nature.' An aggravating factor highlighted was Shephard's use of alcohol during the incident, which he confirmed contributed to his intoxication.
Representing himself in court, Shephard told the magistrates: 'I feel bad for what I done. I'm not normally like that. I just don't know what came over me at the time. I was incapacitated by alcohol.'
Magistrate Elizabeth Evans JP addressed Shephard, noting: 'We have listened carefully to what you told us, we have listened carefully to the background of this case which is very unpleasant. It's quite clear that this crosses the custody threshold - it's serious enough in sentencing terms to justify a prison sentence.'
However, Ms Evans suspended his sentence, citing that the probation service believes the defendant has a 'good chance of rehabilitation'. Shephard, who has no fixed address, received a 17-week imprisonment sentence, suspended for 18 months. He must also complete 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days, pay a £154 surcharge, and cover £85 in costs.
