Thug caught on CCTV urging his dog to maul a cat to death is jailed

A thug caught on CCTV setting his dog on a neighbour’s cat then fleeing as it was mauled to death has been jailed for 18 weeks.

Amos Price, 30, was filmed approaching a house in Walsall with his lurcher-type dog on October 23 before spotting the cat perched on top of a wall.

He could be seen pulling his hood up before positioning his pet directly in front of the other animal and shining a powerful torch to startle it.

Footage of the horrifying attack that followed sparked outrage on social media when it was published by the RSPCA in an effort to identify him.

Price admitted animal cruelty and was warned by Magistrate Brian Benton that he’d have been locked up for longer if the law permitted him to impose a stiffer sentence.

He was also banned from keeping animals for life and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £122 as well as £250 in compensation.

Price was arrested by West Midlands Police on Tuesday following a six-day manhunt sparked by the release of footage by the charity.

Prosecutor Helen Shipley said the cat’s owner, Gary Truefitt, had viewed the footage after being unable to find his pet, named Cleo.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, Mr Truefitt said: ‘The attack has affected my sleep. My cat Cleo would always be there in the morning but now she is not.

‘I don’t want to go home because I know Cleo is not there. I feel as if a big part of my life is missing.’

He said in another statement last week: ‘Cleo will be very much missed, she was a daft cat in lots of ways and would lie along the driveway even when there were cars about, but she was a companion to me.

‘It’s just awful to think of her being attacked in this way.’

The court was told Price, who was jailed last year for criminal damage and assault, co-operated with police who arrested him, telling officers: ‘I was going to hand myself in on Friday. I am done with looking over my shoulder and my family are getting threats.’

Defending, Mandeep Sehmi said the father-of-two – whose partner and other family members attended court – would not have committed the offence if he had been sober.

He added that Price was extremely ashamed and sorry.

Mr Benton told Price: ‘This court is restricted to a maximum sentence of 26 weeks for the offence to which you have pleaded.

‘Due to your guilty plea, you are entitled to a reduction of one-third, to 18 weeks. However, due to the circumstances, we would if we were actually permitted to do so have imposed a far greater custodial sentence.’