Lifetime pet ban for woman who kicked kitten

A WOMAN who sent a video to friends of her punching and drop-kicking a kitten like a rugby ball was yesterday banned for life from keeping animals.

Nicola Collinson, 21, who was filmed attacking the young black and white cat in a street in January, pleaded guilty earlier this month to causing unnecessary suffering to the animal.

She was sentenced at Gosforth Magistrates’ Court in Newcastle to a 12-month community and supervision order, and a six-month curfew from 7pm to 7am, on top of the lifetime ban.

Collinson, of Parkside Avenue, Winlaton, Gateshead, was also ordered to pay court costs of £420 (€600) to the RSPCA.

Clive McKeag, prosecuting, described the offence as “totally sadistic” and “totally unprovoked”.

The video, captured on a mobile phone camera, shows Collinson and a 16-year-old female accomplice — who cannot be named for legal reasons — laughing as they repeatedly kick and punch the cat, chasing after it when it attempts to escape.

Mr McKeag said: “These images speak volumes. The fact that they are carrying out these actions laughing and joking, and treating it as amusement, is an awful sight to see.”

One of the recipients of the video footage was “so sickened” by it that they alerted the RSPCA, which contacted the defendant directly.

Collinson then admitted her part in it, but said she was drunk at the time and could “hardly remember” the night. She said it had not been her intention to hurt the cat.