Jilted boyfriend kills ex’s fish by pouring fabric conditioner in tank

A crazed ex-boyfriend who laughed as he poisoned 50 of his ex girlfriend’s tropical fish has been spared jail.

Benjamin Avill, 36, flew into a ‘fit of rage’ after his partner of 12 years Jenny Daniels told him it was over.

The angered carpenter from Bournemouth, Dorset, grabbed a bottle of Comfort fabric conditioner and emptied it into the large tank killing all but one of her fish.

Survivor Bob, a bristlenose pleco fish now lives with Miss Daniels in a much smaller tank.

Avil pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal at Poole Magistrates’ Court after a prosecution was brought against him for animal cruelty by the RSPCA.

He was handed a 14 week prison term, suspended for 12 months, banned from owning animals for 10 years, and ordered to pay costs of £400.

He will also have to undertake 200 hours unpaid work and attend 20 days of rehabilitation activity.

Matthew Knight, prosecuting, said: ‘In the eyes of the general public, if he had done this to 49 dogs the outcry would be significant.

‘However, the act does not differentiate between protected animals.

‘The RSPCA would suggest this is a case for disqualification (of owning animals) given that the attack was unprovoked.’

He added the fish would have suffered greatly as they were poisoned.

He said: ‘The fish were jointly owned by the defendant and Ms Daniels. They were arguing and in a fit of rage he poured a three litre bottle into the tank.

‘An expert has since said they would have died an acute and unnecessary death. Fish can and do suffer and the defendant has shown very little remorse for his actions which caused the death of a lot of fish.’

The incident on May 8 was the culmination of ‘several years of tough times’ in the couple’s relationship.

Leah Dillon, defending, said: ‘The relationship between Miss Daniels and the defendant was volatile. This incident was the culmination of several years of tough times.

‘He describes himself as like a bottle of champagne which his partner was shaking and waiting for the cork to pop.

‘He says it was completely out of character for him and he has shown genuine remorse.’

Afterwards a spokesperson for the RSPCA said: ‘It’s shocking that these fish were killed in such a way.

‘They would have suffered needlessly because fabric conditioner poured into their tank.

‘There is never an excuse for such heartless and unpleasant behaviour, or for showing such a lack of empathy towards any animal by behaving in this way.’