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| Shot: Ethel |
A retired civil servant, who ran his local Neighbourhood Watch, fatally shot his neighbour’s cat, which had been given a second chance of life after being rescued from Romania, a court heard.
Patrick Medford, 80, claimed four year-old Ethel was a danger to the wild birds he enjoyed feeding in his suburban back garden.
The cat sadly suffered an agonising death, with internal puncture wounds to her colon and intestine and died from sepsis the next day, despite veterinary surgery.
Pensioner Medford, of Yew Tree Close, Welling pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal on September 29, last year.
In 2019 he was invited to join the East Wickham Ward Panel, which discusses local policing and was later invited to join the Bexley Independent Advisory Group, which advises senior borough Commanders and Inspectors.
He was the local Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator for several years, but stepped down following the shooting.
Medford even handed in a reference to the magistrates from Sir David Simmons, the former Chief Justice of Barbados, who was also the Caribbean island’s former Attorney General.
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| Gun: Medford |
Ethel’s owner, Jackie Richmond, 80, a retired police officer, who lives opposite Medford, paid £2,000 in vet bills in a desperate attempt save her pet’s life.
“She was such a nice cat, she was very loving and gentle,” said Mrs Richmond outside court. “She loved people and all the other people on the close loved her.”
Medford was sentenced to sixteen weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years and ordered to pay his neighbour £2,000 compensation, plus £600 costs and a £128 victim surcharge.
“I think he just hates cats and said she was a predator. He said she was disturbing birds in their nests.”
Neighbours rallied around to help find the culprit, with one checking their CCTV to prove Medford was at his £500,000 semi-detached house when the fatal shot was fired.
RSPCA prosecutor Andrew Wiles told Bexley Magistrates’ Court: “This case concerns a four year-old cat rescued from Romania in early 2020 that belongs to this defendant’s neighbour.
“She first became aware of a problem last June when she received an email from the defendant, which stated that ‘owners of predators should keep them under control’ because the cat had gone into his garden.
“In a second email he said he had to chase the cat from his house and in a third email referred to the case of a cat, which had returned home with a note attached to its collar threatening to kidnap it.
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| Neighbour: Jackie Richmond |
“Last September Mrs Richmond was inside her house when she heard her cat howling and screaming and she returned home in distress through the catflap.
“She vomited and collapsed to the floor and was obviously in pain and distress with her eyes twitching and in the hallway vomited and collapsed again.
“Mrs Richmond sought urgent veterinary treatment and the vet states the cat was in severe shock , with severe abdominal pain and unable to walk.
“She had a weak pulse, low blood pressure and a slow heart rate.
“An x-ray was taken, which clearly showed an airgun pellet had punctured the abdomen and there was a fresh puncture wound.
“Surgery was performed and the cat recovered, but then succumbed to sepsis and died, despite all of their best efforts.”
Medford was reported to the RSPCA and police officers arrived on his doorstep on October 6.
“They found an air rifle that Mr Medford showed them that was in his back bedroom, propped by the window and a supply of ammunition.
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| Ethel's wound |
“The gun was seized and ballistic analysis confirmed the pellet found in the cat came from Mr Medford’s gun.”
Medford told the Probation Service he used the air rifle to shoot pigeons, but enjoys other wild birds.
He claimed he did not intend to injure Ethel, but scare her away, but the Probation Officer felt he was “trying to minimise the offence” and “failed to appreciate the feelings of others.”
Medford insists tests on his air rifle’s scope would prove the weapon was inaccurate.
His lawyer Matthew Coxall told the court: “Clearly it is a serious matter, firing an air weapon at an animal in the garden.
“He did not intend to kill the cat, even thought he was the cause of the cat’s death.
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| Medford's weapon |
“The scope was damaged and was 23cm off.
“He is a bird lover, wild birds and feeds them and felt the cat was preying on them and admits he did not like the cat.
“He aimed away from the cat, but the pellet hit the cat. It was a reckless, dangerous act.
“He is ashamed to be in court and custody would probably finish him off. He does not know how much longer he has left.”
Magistrate Phiroze Neemuchwala announced: “This is a serious matter involving a weapon and the prolonged suffering and death of an animal, with the owner suffering a degree of stress for a significant period of time.”
Medford’s air rifle was forfeited and the court disqualified him from owning any animal for an indefinite period of time.
