news, national

A man charged over a kitten's fatal beating allegedly locked it on a balcony so he couldn't hear its cries. Alex Shaoqing Li, 19, was arrested after the cat's body was found wrapped in plastic and inside a backpack in the basement of an apartment building on Pitt Street in Sydney's CBD on Monday evening. A bloodied bathrobe found in Li's apartment upstairs is being forensically tested, NSW Police said on Tuesday. In a statement, police allege the kitten suffered serious head and mouth injuries before Li placed it on his balcony "and closed the door to not hear him crying". Li faced Central Local Court on Tuesday charged with committing aggravated cruelty upon an animal. He was bailed on a $250 surety and on condition that he not own any pets and report to police daily. He also has to live at a specific Sydney CBD address, surrender his passport and not enter any international ports of departure. The case is due to be heard next before the same court on June 30. Australian Associated Press

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/00b8ed41-d709-4539-92fc-bf393364dd13.jpg/r0_74_800_526_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg