Hereford man jailed for trying to hang neighbours' cat Published duration 11 November 2013

image caption Coralie suffered a swollen neck after the attempted hanging

A 53-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 weeks in prison for attempting to hang his neighbours' cat.

Karl Dyke, of Escley Drive, Hereford, admitted the attack on the Siamese in July.

Hereford Magistrates' Court was told Michael and Tracey Lawrence, who live next door to Dyke, heard their cat Coralie in distress and saw the defendant carrying the animal away.

The cat escaped and survived after its owners intervened.

The Lawrences said the attack had left their family "shocked and nervous."

'Smirking'

Speaking from their home, Michael said: "My wife came downstairs and said the neighbour had taken the cat from the fence.

"I ran outside to the back of the garden, and I could hear our cat's bell ringing around its neck.

image caption Dyke, pictured here arriving at court, was jailed for 20 weeks

"The sound was coming from the shed.

"I opened the shed door and Mr Dyke was standing there smirking, with a rope in one hand and our cat dangling from the other.

"I grabbed the cat and she ran off."

A visit to the vets the next day showed the cat was suffering from a swollen neck.

After resting at home, Coralie is almost back to normal, the couple said.

'Justice'

Tracey Lawrence said: "She's a bit more nervous now, and avoids groups of people.

"It is shocking to know that somebody could do that to an animal.

"We also find ourselves checking that doors and windows are locked more often now, and we don't like to let her out of our sights.