A Leven man has been cleared of killing a kitten by battering it with a plank of wood.
John Armour told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court the allegation against him had been made maliciously.
A sheriff agreed there was enough doubt in the case for him to find the 35-year-old not guilty.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Armour said he was “dancing” following the verdict.
He said: “I’m happy to be cleared.
“If I had been found guilty I would have been sitting here p***ed off because I didn’t do it but something worked in the justice system.”
Mr Armour said: “It was in the back of my mind that I could be framed for something I didn’t do but it went the right way.
“I’m going to put it behind me and forget about it.”
Shouts of ‘killer’ and ‘murderer’
The court had heard from Mr Armour’s former partner Megan Coventry, who claimed she had witnessed Mr Armour killing the cat in the feeder area of his pigeon shed.
The 32-year-old said the grey kitten was lying lifeless inside.
She told the court: “I was doing the dishes and I looked out the window at the pigeon shed and he was hitting something with a piece of wood.
“I thought he had lost it and was hitting the pigeons.
“I ran out to say: ‘What are you doing?’
“I saw some of the pigeons and saw they were okay but just as I was turning to walk out, I saw the neighbour’s cat lying at the side and a lot of blood.
“I shouted ‘killer’ and ‘murderer’ and ran into the house.”
Sheriff’s doubts
Her grandmother, June Ogg said she had arrived shortly after the incident and found Ms Coventry “hysterical”.
Under questioning, Ms Ogg also described the garden at the time of the incident as containing a pink playhouse.
However, Mr Armour told the court this was impossible as the playhouse was built after the pigeon shed had been removed from the garden.
He claimed Ms Ogg had visited his home some time after he had split with Ms Coventry.
Sheriff Ian Anderson decided against convicting Mr Armour.
He said: “I am left with doubt about what happened here so I find you not guilty.”
Mr Armour was accused of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by killing the cat at an address in Methil some time between January 2014 and December 2016.
He was further accused of breaking a window at the same time, but Sheriff Anderson accepted submission of no case to answer made by Mr Armour’s solicitor.
