Cruel lodger caught on hidden camera regularly TORMENTING his housemate's cat
THIS is the chilling moment a cruel lodger was caught on camera torturing his housemate's beloved cat.
Matthew Sparks’ guilty secret was exposed by secret cameras installed because of the suspicious way the cat called Elfie behaved around him.
Only when Elfie’s owner reviewed the scenes captured by the covert cameras was Sparks’ aggressive secret exposed.
The shocking images showed him kicking out at Elfie and gripping her by the scruff of the neck.
This was one of the most disturbing cases I have ever worked on
The footage was captured between July and September last year when the owner was out and Sparks was left with the cat.
After watching the film, the owner alerted the RSPCA and resulted in Sparks receiving a lifetime ban from having animals when he appeared before Bristol Magistrates last week.
Sparks, 29, of Claverham Road in Fishponds, Bristol, was also ordered to carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work and was fined £300 with an £85 victim surcharge.
He had admitted causing unnecessary suffering by inflicting physical abuse and engaging in acts of mental torture last summer.
HORRENDOUS animal cruelty in this shocking clip
Still images from the cameras have been released of the incidents but not running footage.
After the case, RSPCA Dan Hatfield said it was only because Elfie’s owner installed the cameras that Sparks had been found out.
Inspector Hatfield added: “This was one of the most disturbing cases I have ever worked on.
“Matthew targeted Elfie repeatedly when they were home alone together and on the footage can be seen dropping the cat to the ground, kicking out at her, aggressively gripping her by the scruff of the neck and relentlessly following her around. It was very weird behaviour.
“It is really distressing to think about the fear and pain Elfie experienced in her own home.
"If it wasn’t for her owner deciding to install the hidden cameras no one would have known what was going on.”
