Man admits throwing kittens into the River Thames
A 58-year-old man has admitted to throwing kittens off Twickenham bridge in west London into the River Thames.
Andrew Shephard pleaded guilty to three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
The court heard the incident occurred on 30th November 2023, when Shephard had three kittens in a box and “tipped them over the edge into the river,” prosecutor Jack Wadsworth said.
Members of the public witnessed the act, and one managed to save a kitten before it fell in. However, two other kittens ended up in the water.
Witnesses recalled hearing Shephard saying “let them die, I want them to die,” according to the court.
Speaking during the hearing, Shephard said: “I must say that I was completely out of it. I was absolutely paralytic. I don’t really remember anything about what happened.
“I do realise what I did was horrible and I have to look myself every morning in the mirror and know what I did, which is completely out of my normal behaviour. I can’t say any more than that.”
Prosecutor Mr Wadsworth added that Shephard, who represented himself, was very drunk at the time and acknowledged having a problem with alcohol. He said the animals had belonged to his daughter, who was no longer able to care for them, and he did not intend to kill them.
One of the kittens was taken home by a member of the public who rescued it, while the other two were taken to a vet in “bad condition,” according to Mr Wadsworth.
Shephard, of no fixed address, will be sentenced on 17th February 2024 at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court following the completion of a pre-sentence report.