Man launches cat into air like a rugby ball as laughing friend films

A man who launched a cat into the air like a rugby ball while his laughing friend filmed has avoided jail.

The pair can be heard joking about as Joshua Weir, 26, picks up the defenceless cat in the street in Rhyl, north Wales.

Lewis Brereton, 26, films Weir repeatedly shouting ‘hope you have nine lives’ before throwing the animal skywards.

Weir, of Linden Drive, Prestatyn, and Brereton, of Bryntirion Avenue, Rhyl, both pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary cruelty by throwing the cat.

They were given eight-week prison sentences, suspended for six months, and banned from keeping animals for three years.

They were also ordered to each pay £460.

Court chairman Darren Campbell told Weir that his decision to pick up a defenceless animal and throw it in the air ‘for your own enjoyment, is incredulous to us’.

He said animals felt pain and fear and magistrates described their behaviour as ‘appalling’.

Tudur Owen, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said: ‘One of the men held it in both hands and swung his arms before launching it in the air at 45 degrees.

‘It reached a considerable height, twisting in the air.’

Solicitors for both men said they had been drinking and were remorseful.

Graham Parry, for Brereton, said they were ‘very drunk’ but had owned up immediately.

Brereton found it ‘excruciating’ to now watch the video, Mr Parry said.

‘Fortunately the cat seems to have recovered and ran off,’ Mr Parry added.

Rebecca Boswell, for Weir, said he had lost his job looking after people with autism.

She said what had happened was completely out of character.

The court chairman said: ‘You are not going to prison because of your previous good character.’