BUTTERWORTH: She kicked the kitten into the drain and laughed, but the kitten had its day in court.

The 16-year-old girl was bound over for a year on good behaviour without any bond by a magistrate’s court here yesterday.

The girl, who could not be named as she is a minor, was accompanied by a woman believed to be her mother in court.

The kitten, which has now grown into a young cat, was also present at the courthouse, although it remained in a car and was watched over by officers from the state Veterinary Department.

Magistrate Che Rohana Ismail gave the order after the girl admitted to committing the offence in Taman Seri Menerong, Tasek Gelugor, Seberang Prai, at about 1pm on March 4.

The charge, under sub-Section 44(1)(a) of the Animal Act 1953, read together with the amended Act and punishable under Section 44(1) of the same Act, carries a maximum fine of RM50,000, up to one year in jail or both, upon conviction.

In March, MStar featured a video of a girl having a good laugh after kicking the kitten, which was then about a month old.

She drew the ire of the public and animal rights activists.