Man jailed for tumble drying cat

A man who put his ex-wife's cat in a tumble dryer and switched it on has been jailed for six months.
Philip Gannon, 42, Bulrush Close, Salford, was also banned for keeping animals for life by Bolton magistrates.

The court heard Gannon bought William for Jacqueline Hodson, but threatened to kill the cat when they split up.

The pet's remains were found by Ms Hodson in the machine based in her shed. RSPCA chief inspector Cathy Hyde said the cat had been "cooked alive".

Gannon was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to the animal at a hearing last month.

'Complete disregard'

Part of the cat's body had been thrown over a fence at the bottom of the garden.

"We had to take the appliance apart to get William out, there was hardly anything left of him," Ch Insp Hyde said.

"He'd literally been cooked alive, in the tumble-dryer's revolving drum."

A post-mortem showed damage to William's claws where he had tried hang on in the machine.

The court also heard details of a telephone conversation between Gannon and one of Miss Hodson's friends.

Tony Stocks, prosecuting, said: "There was a brief silence, before the defendant simply said the word miaow down the telephone."

Steven Teasdale, defending, said Gannon's home had been attacked after media coverage of the case.

Ch Insp Hyde added: "There's no excusing what this man did. He showed complete disregard for the life he was taking, or the suffering he caused in doing so."

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