Stoned teenager Mark Kane tortured cat

A STONED teenager who trapped a cat in a bag full of cannabis smoke and swung it round like a lasso was caught after he filmed the “sadistic” act on his mobile.

Mark Kane was busted by police when he had his phone seized after he was arrested for a separate offence and officers found the vile footage.

The 19-year-old stole the defenceless young tabby from a friend before trapping it in the bag and blowing cannabis fumes over its head.

He then tied the bag and sniggered as he said: “This cat is getting stoned off its head,” before swinging the terrified animal around his head, a court as told.

Jobless Kane, of St Aidan’s Road, South Shields, had been smoking cannabis from a water pipe with a friend prior to the attack and got his pal to film it. Clive McKeag, prosecuting, told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court that Kane’s “wicked” act had taken place around January 3 at an address on John William Street, South Shields.

He said: “These acts were totally gratuitous, they were intentional, they were sadistic, and the prosecution say, they were wicked.”

Mr McKeag said Kane, who could face a spell behind bars, had stolen the cat a couple of weeks earlier from a friend of his girlfriend.

“There was no purpose behind it, except for sheer gratuitous violence. Such was the attack it would cause outrage to any decent member of the public.

“The only reason he could have done it was to take pleasure from causing very substantial suffering to this animal. We can see from the video that the defendant did this as a great joke.”

The RSPCA, who became involved in the case after police referred it, said it was not known what happened to the cat as it disappeared and was never returned to its owner.

Tim Gregory, defending, said Kane was ashamed of what he’d done but thought he was doing a responsible job of looking after the animal.

“He is ashamed of himself and his conscious thought was impeded by cannabis.”

The case was adjourned for two weeks for pre-sentence reports after Kane pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering and administering a dangerous drug to an animal.

RSPCA inspector Claire Hunt told the Chronicle: “I have never seen anything that showed such a complete disregard for an animal’s welfare.”

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/stoned-teenager-mark-kane-tortured-1458007