Cruel lodger caught on hidden camera regularly TORMENTING his housemate’s cat

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Cruel lodger caught on hidden camera regularly tormenting his housemate's cat

Matthew Sparks, 29, spent all his time when he was alone in the home picking on the poor animal.

Its owner realised her cat Elfie was acting strange so installed hidden cameras and recorded what was going on.

Sparks was filmed dropping the helpless moggie to the ground, aggressively gripping her by the scruff of the neck and tormenting her.

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He even follow the cat around the house just to torment it, Bristol Magistrates Court was told

This was one of the most disturbing cases I have ever worked on

Dan Hatfield

He even follow the cat around the house just to torment it, Bristol Magistrates Court was told.

Sparks has now been banned from keeping animals for life after secret footage showed him abusing and mentally torturing the moggy.

Vets have described the abuse of poor Elfie as "one of the most disturbing cases" they had seen.

The abuse only came to light because her owner became suspicious of the way the pet acted around his housemate in the home Fishponds, Bristol.

Sparks was filmed over a two-month period from July to September last year whenever Elfie's owner was out and he was left alone with the cat.

It was while looking back through the footage the pet owner made the shock discovery and contacted the RSPCA.

Sparks, of Bristol, admitted causing unnecessary suffering by inflicting physical abuse and engaging in acts of mental torture.

He was slapped with a hefty £300 fine and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

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Handout photo issued by the Orangutan Foundation of Aan, a critically-endangered orangutan who was blinded after being shot more than 100 times with an air rifle. Aan is to undergo an operation that could restore her sight.

RSPCA inspector Dan Hatfield said: "This was one of the most disturbing cases I have ever worked on.

"Matthew targeted Elfie repeatedly when they were home alone together and on the footage can be seen dropping the cat to the ground, kicking out at her, aggressively gripping her by the scruff of the neck and relentlessly following her around.

"It was very weird behaviour. It is really distressing to think about the fear and pain Elfie experienced in her own home.

"If it wasn't for her owner deciding to install the hidden cameras no one would have known what was going on."

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