Latest news with #animalCruelty
Independent Singapore
09-07-2025
- Independent Singapore
Judge doubles jail term for serial cat abuser after prosecution appeals for tougher sentence
Photos: Court documents SINGAPORE: A man convicted of one of the most shocking spates of animal cruelty in recent memory will serve a longer jail term after the High Court ruled that his original sentence had been inadequate. 33-year-old Barrie Lin Pengli has had his prison sentence increased to two years and three months, up from the initial 14 months handed down in February. The decision came after the prosecution appealed against what it described as an unduly lenient punishment. According to court documents and media reports, Barrie repeatedly travelled to various Housing Board blocks in Ang Mo Kio over several months, targeting community cats whenever he was upset. He abused at least five cats, with the cruelty escalating over time. In the earliest incidents, Barrie kicked the cats with his feet. But he later began confining them in bags, taking them to secluded areas to inflict further violence. On two occasions, he threw cats from a high-rise building. In one particularly disturbing case, after throwing a cat down, he discovered the animal was still alive and proceeded to kick it again before stepping on it until it died. The prosecution initially sought a two-year sentence, citing the extreme brutality and the deliberate nature of the acts. However, when the case was first heard in the State Courts, the judge imposed a 14-month term, noting Barrie's severe depression as a significant mitigating factor. The prosecution contended that the lower court had placed disproportionate weight on Barrie's mental health issues and had not considered unrelated cases that had not been disclosed to either side. Delivering the High Court's decision, Justice Valerie Thean agreed said she felt the original sentence was too lenient and stressed that general deterrence and retribution were paramount in cases of wanton animal cruelty. Noting that this was a sustained pattern of premeditated, sadistic violence against defenceless animals, Justice Thean said pointed out that the offender did not act merely out of impulse or distress but he abused these animals to gratify a twisted sense of satisfaction. Animal welfare groups have welcomed the stiffer sentence, describing it as a strong signal that such cruelty will be met with serious consequences. Under Singapore law, those convicted of animal cruelty can face fines and imprisonment of up to 18 months per charge, although consecutive sentences are permitted in egregious cases. () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
BBC News
01-07-2025
- BBC News
Barnes Park fire probe as Sunderland council action continues
Council action to tackle anti-social behaviour at a park where animals were reportedly killed is ongoing, after youths were seen starting a City Council shared an image of the suspected group and said some of them had been identified, following reports of the blaze at Barnes Park on Sunday. Residents previously told the BBC they did not feel safe, with one councillor claiming the park was being "terrorised" by youths on bikes wearing Labour-run local authority said neighbourhood wardens were conducting regular patrols and suspected perpetrators had been contacted. Northumbria Police, which currently has a live investigation into reports of animal cruelty, has been approached for a comment about the fire. A group of people were seen harming rabbits on 14 June and people have described seeing animal remains at the park over recent weeks. Deputy council leader Kelly Chequer said: "We fully acknowledge the concerns raised regarding Barnes Park and share the commitment to ensuring residents feel safe and supported in our open spaces."She said a Motorcycle Disorder Team and three Anti-Social Behaviour Officers patrolled the park on Sunday."Fly-tipping is being removed as a priority, and several home visits to suspected perpetrators are being completed in response to specific issues," she added. Chequer confirmed no incidents had been spotted during the patrols, but youths were reported on social media to have set a fire on Sunday evening. She said several members of the group had been identified."Enquiries will continue, and where appropriate, parents will be contacted and action such as Acceptable Behaviour Agreements will be considered," she said. "Following previous incidents, three Acceptable Behaviour Agreements have already been issued with investigations to identify others ongoing."Chequer added options to enhance CCTV were being looked into, including "suitable columns, tree foliage and lighting assessments".There are currently five cameras at the park. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
News.com.au
26-06-2025
- News.com.au
Man allegedly steals cow semen, embryos and Wagyu cattle from his former employer
Police have charged a man over his alleged theft of cow semen, embryos and dozens of Wagyu cattle from his former employer. A strike force was formed by NSW Police last year to investigate allegations of 'fraud and stolen genetics' from a cattle farm on the state's north coast. An extensive search led police to a 34-year-old man who had been requested to sell 200 recipient and empty cattle on behalf of his employer. Instead, police allege, the man also sold 45 full-blood Wagyu cows and heifers against his employer's wishes. Further, it is alleged that he used a third-party buyer to purchase the 45 full-blood cattle alongside dozens of other cows for himself. In his dealings, police allege the man gained almost $100,000 of a financial advantage from the greatly reduced price of the 45 cows. But it was during a search warrant executed by police that a 'genetic liquid nitrogen storage tank which contained stolen cattle semen' was seized, police said. The semen was worth $100,000. Further, the man allegedly engaged a 48-year-old Grafton veterinarian after he was asked to get medical help for six sick Wagyu bulls. The vet allegedly produced false documentation of providing care without treating the cattle, with at least two later dying from their illness. The 48-year-old man was arrested on Monday and charged with commit an act of aggravated cruelty upon an animal, being in charge of an animal fail to provide vet treatment, and do act intending to pervert the course of justice. The 34-year-old alleged semen thief was arrested on Tuesday and charged with 20 offences. His charges include two counts of steal cattle, three counts of take and use others cattle, and a charge of commit an act of aggravated cruelty upon an animal. He was bailed to appear in Grafton Local Court on Monday, August 4, 2025, while the 48-year-old was bailed to appear on Monday, August 11, 2025.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Yahoo
Jayco animal cruelty case dropped
ELKHART — Allegations against three men accused of animal cruelty at Jayco have had their charges dropped due to a need for further investigation, according to Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker. The prosecutor's office reports in a press release that a scrivener's error was noted in the probable cause affidavit, specifically the commentary from the vice president of Operations at Jayco who allegedly stated that he believed the men acted in the company's best interests by placing the cats into the trash compactor. 'However, that phrase is not accurate as there is no evidence documented in the police investigation to suggest that Mr. (Devon) Miller endorsed, or approved of, the decisions or the behaviors of the three employees. The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney was notified of the discrepancy and engaged in further inquiry regarding the facts and circumstances of the allegations,' press release indicates. 'As the Prosecuting Attorney is awaiting the results of that additional investigation, which has impacted the veracity of the original charging decision, a Motion to Dismiss each case was filed before anyone's liberty was affected by an arrest.' The prosecuting attorney is bound to follow the laws enacted by the Indiana General Assembly, including those that limit her authority. Until the additional information can be meaningfully considered, any amended charging decision will not be made, the statement reads. Accordingly, both the Indiana Constitution and Indiana statutory law require that all persons are innocent until proven guilty in a recognized Court of Law, not in the eyes of the general public, the release states. 'Once again, the detrimental and injurious effect of social media opining and premature conclusions is resulting in a social media frenzy that is wholly inappropriate,' the press release stated. No interviews will be afforded at this time as the office is awaiting further evidence before any additional official actions will be undertaken by the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Yahoo
Frozen dogs found in garage behind Jackson ice cream shop
JACKSON, Mich. (WLNS) — More than a dozen dead dogs were found frozen in a garage behind The Parlour of Jackson ice cream shop Sunday afternoon, the shop's owner, Scott Pienta, tells 6 News. When Pienta got the call from his son inside one of his garages on Sunday, he immediately knew something was not right, discovering several dogs frozen inside a cooler that Pienta says belongs to someone who used to work in the area behind the restaurant. 'I had no idea. We just thought it was just more of her stuff,' says Pienta. 'I wasn't going through all of her possessions that she had prior to me buying this building. We're just giving her time to get everything out of here.' Pienta says the discovery happened after repeated attempts to have the person clear the space out. 'Roughly almost two and a half months now, we've been dealing with trying to get her to get the stuff out of here,' says Pienta. 'It's been a lot of threats by me and patience, and now you know we're getting to that point where we're bringing our attorneys involved.' Pienta initially purchased the garage behind the restaurant in March 2017 in hopes of expanding the shop's operations. 'We are trying to start the next set of renovations, which starts in the garage to expand on what we already have here,' says Pienta. 6 News was unable to contact the person Pienta believes to be responsible. Both the Jackson Police Department and Jackson County Animal Control could not be reached for comment due to the holiday. Stay with 6 News as we follow this story. We should hear more from the authorities when they return to the office tomorrow. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
