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Tristian Paul Pearson, (b. April 2, 1978) of West Street, Bargoed, South Wales plead guilty to offences under the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 by admitting to providing food containing poison to his neighbours two cats causing their deaths. Pearson was issued an eight-month suspended prison sentence, ordered to do perform 150-hours of unpaid work, disqualified from keeping all animals for a period of five-years and to pay £2,000 in costs. The poisoning incidents occurred during September 2021.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/aug/10/man-sentenced-wales-admitting-poisoning-neighbours-cats

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/jail-term-man-poisoned-neighbours-151103146.html

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/cat-poisoner-who-killed-neighbours-24723756

https://www.animaljournal.co.uk/article/welfare/animal-cruelty-crown-court

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/news/national/jail-term-for-man-who-poisoned-neighbours-cats-65696/

Occurrence
In September 2021, Pearson laced food with a highly poisonous substance to cats, ethylene glycol, which led to the suffering and deaths of his neigbours two cats named Luna and Bailey in violation of the provisions under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The statements provided to the the court reflected that the kidney tubules of both cats were consistent with poisoning from ethylene glycol.

A father and daughter who owned the two cats lived in two separate personal residences near Pearson's home. In addition, three young children aged eight, five and eighteen-months lived with at the same personal residence as one of the cats.

On September 3, 2021, the owner of Bailey a male Persian cat, noted he appeared weak and wobbly. The owner made an appointment for him at the veterinarian, but died before the appointment.

On September 7, 2021, Luna a female domestic short-haired cat came home displaying symptoms as very wobbly back legs. The veterinarian noted Luna's symptoms increased with twitching muscles and high heart rate. Luna experienced kidney failure and was euthanized on humane grounds to prevent further suffering.

The owners of the cats looked in Pearson's garden and saw two pots. One pot contained a blue liquid and the other pot contained a mixture of food including tuna. This evidence was retrieved and provided to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).

Email
Suspended jail term after man poisons neighbour’s cats Sentencing Act sends case for Crown Court sentencing for the first time

A Bargoed man has been handed an eight month suspended prison sentence after admitting poisoning two cats belonging to his neighbours - in what has been labelled a “landmark case” for the RSPCA.

Tristian Paul Pearson (d.o.b 02/04/1978), of West Street, Bargoed, pleaded guilty to an Animal Welfare Act offences after he admitted causing two cats living nearby - Luna and Bailey - to take ethylene glycol, a substance which is highly poisonous to felines, which led to them to suffer, contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The poisonings took place in early September 2021. Vet statements supplied to the court confirmed the kidney tubules of both cats were consistent with ethylene glycol poisoning.

The cats belonged to a father and daughter who lived in two separate properties near Pearson's West Street home. Three young children - aged eight, five and 18 months - lived at the same property as one of the cats.

Bailey's owner reported that his cat became unwell on 3 September, and appeared weak and wobbly. An appointment was made for Bailey, a male Persian cat, to see the vets, but he sadly died before that even took place.

A few days later, on 7 September, Luna, a female domestic short hair, returned home - to a property backing onto the house where Bailey lived - appearing very wobbly on her back legs. Her symptoms escalated, and vets found her to also have a high heart rate while her muscles were twitching. Sadly, vet tests confirmed Luna had kidney failure and she was put to sleep on humane grounds. Following the deaths of the two pets, the cat's owners looked in the rear garden of their neighbour's property - and spotted two pots. One contained a bright blue liquid, and the other pot contained a food mix, including meat. These were retrieved, and passed to the RSPCA.

Some of the meat-type substance found in one of the pots was also found in the garden of Luna's owner.

Tests later confirmed substances found in the pots contained a high concentration of ethylene glycol, one of which appeared to have been mixed with tuna fish - a food attractive to cats. An expert veterinary witness report concluded that it is "very highly likely that this was the source of ethylene glycol that caused the death of" Luna and Bailey.

The vet statement added that the "effects of ethylene glycol poisoning cause a cat to suffer via the mechanism of dehydration with subsequent headaches, nausea, disorientation, weakness and collapse".

Pearson, 44, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on 5 August. In addition to an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, he was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work, and disqualified from keeping all animals for a period of five years; a ban which he may not contest for at least four years.

He was also ordered to pay £2,000 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA inspector Simon Evans, who investigated, said: "These poor cats were deliberately tempted into digesting a substance that is incredibly dangerous for cats and ultimately proved fatal to them both.

"One cat died before he could even be taken to the vets, while another had to be put to sleep to prevent suffering. Vets found clear evidence of the harm the ethylene glycol had done.

"The two dishes found in the defendant's garden contained a high concentration of the dangerous substance - and he admitted in court that he caused them to consume it, causing them to suffer unnecessarily.

"We hope this shocking, landmark case sends a clear message to anyone thinking of targeting cats in this way - this is wrong, illegal and will not be tolerated."

The case had originally been heard at Cwmbran Magistrates Court, where Pearson pleaded guilty - but was referred to Cardiff Crown Court for sentencing. The RSPCA believes this is the first such case to be referred in this way, following the coming into force of the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 last year; demonstrating the seriousness of the offence.

Previously, the maximum sentence a magistrate could hand down for animal welfare offences was six months in prison - however this was increased ten-fold to five years for certain Animal Welfare Act offences, and, under new guidelines, meant such animal cruelty crimes can now be heard in both magistrates’ courts and the Crown Court to reflect the new maximum penalty.

Hayley Firman of the RSPCA’s prosecutions department commented: "It's good to see that the courts are applying the new legislation in a way it was intended".

RSPCA Cymru continues to remind cat owners of the symptoms of poisoning - and to know what to do if they fear their cat has been targeted.

Inspector Evans added: "This case reminds us that pet poisonings do happen. Some of the symptoms these poor cats showed are typical of being poisoned.

“Vomiting, a depressed or sleepy demeanour, appearing drunk or uncoordinated, seizures, and breathing difficulties could all be symptoms of a cat being poisoned.

“Anyone fearing their cat may have been poisoned should try and remain calm, move the cat away from the source and contact a vet straight away.

“Potentially hazardous substances – like antifreeze – should also be used and stored responsibly, and safely away from curious felines.” Ends - Diwedd

Notes to Editors: Photographs of the cats can be found attached, as can photographs of the poisonous substance found in the trays. Please note, photographs were provided by one of the cat's owners for this press release.

The full offence was as follows: •	That between the 1st September 2021 and the 9th September 2021 in the vicinity of … West Street, Bargoed, Caerphilly, you did cause unnecessary suffering to protected animals, namely two cats identified as Luna and Bailey, by doing an act or acts, namely causing said animals to take ethylene glycol and that you knew or ought reasonably to have known that this act or acts would have the effect of causing unnecessary suffering or be likely to do so, contrary to Section 4 (1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.