A Fife thug who bit the head of a cat before killing it during a horrific attack has been jailed for 14 months.
Craig Mills, 22, was drunk when he punched and slapped the young cat, called Pippa, before slamming it against a wall, killing it.
The sickening incident was captured on video by his boyfriend at the time and previously shown in court.
Sheriff Craig McSherry jailed Mills on Wednesday saying, “This was a disgraceful act of cruelty against a young animal which resulted in the animal’s death.”
Mills was jailed for eight months for the cat killing and another six months for later offences, including biting two people, one of them a police officer.
Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia told Dunfermline Sheriff Court the cat had been trying to escape from the clutches of Mills but he continued to hold it on his lap.
“It was in a panic and continued to claw and cry. It was so distressed it then urinated,” said the depute.
His then partner David Walker, who recorded the incident on his mobile phone, told police he had been too scared to stop Mills, fearing his anger would be turned on him.
Mills began to punch and slap the cat, which bit him in an attempt to escape. This resulted in Mills putting its head in his mouth and biting on it.
The cat scratched him to get away and Mr Walker, who was becoming increasing frightened at Mills’ behaviour, left the flat.
“He received a phone call from the accused about 30 minutes later. It was from the accused who was hysterical and said the cat was dead,” said Mr Kapadia.
Mr Walker went home and found Mills covered in blood. “He was lying in bed stroking the dead cat. He told Mr Walker he’d thrown it against the hallway wall and after that it didn’t move.”
Mr Walker put the dead animal in a shoe box, took it away and buried it.
Mills, of Union Street, Lochgelly, previously admitted that between 9th April and 30th September last year, Mills behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by carrying out acts of cruelty against the family pet cat and placed his partner in a state of fear and alarm by causing a cat unnecessary suffering by restraining it on his knee, distressing it and causing it to urinate.
He thereafter punched and slapped the cat, put its head in his mouth and bit it, threw it against a wall and killed it.
After being granted bail to await sentencing, Mills then committed a string of further offences.
On 19th July at Woodend Park, Cardenden, he shouted, swore, threw and broke a mobile phone and struggled with Kimberley Dow.
He also assaulted Kieran Campbell by biting him to his injury.
On the same day at Dunfermline police station, Mills assaulted P.C. Martin Ronald by biting him. He also assaulted PC Selina Bruce by spitting on her.