A man who admitted mistreating his cats by causing them injuries has been jailed for 28 months and banned from keeping animals for life.
Martell Tyrone Dublin (date of birth: 28/06/2001), of High Street, Harlesden, London, admitted four animal cruelty charges, following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA.
The animal welfare charity initiated an investigation on November 17, 2022, following information from a vet concerning possible animal cruelty involving five cats belonging to Dublin.
France, Narla, Baby and Milo were all said to have been subject to unexplained deaths. Another cat Shirley (pictured) was found with severe injuries and was taken into the care of the RSPCA..
Veterinary investigations found that injuries to France were repetitive, with one of the
injuries involving a severe scald to the length of the cat’s back. The severity of the scalding wound was said to not be consistent with the accidental spillage of hot water.
Dublin also inflicted non-accidental injuries to a cat named Shirley, which consisted of a
fractured jaw, a fractured cheek bone and five fractured ribs.
Veterinary opinion is that France and Shirley were both caused to suffer as a consequence of physical abuse being inflicted by Dublin and suffering would have been experienced by these animals via fear, distress and pain for a period of several days, potentially longer.
Dublin also caused unnecessary suffering to Narla and Baby by inflicting injuries upon those animals. The veterinary opinion is that their injuries were not consistent with accidental injury. He additionally caused unnecessary suffering to Baby in failing to provide the cat with proper, necessary and timely veterinary treatment for its head and spinal injuries and the cat’s inability to walk.
In mitigation, it was said he was previously of good character, no longer kept animals and had mental health difficulties and problems with alcohol and had suffered significant childhood adversity.
Alongside the 28 month prison sentence, he was sentenced to a lifetime ban from keeping animals, which he can not appeal for 3 years, when he was sentenced at Harrow Crown Court on July 31.
Former RSPCA Inspector Nicole Broster, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said after sentencing: “This was an incredibly challenging and harrowing case, one of the worst I’d seen during my 17 years as part of the Inspectorate. This case involved extensive investigations to understand how the cats came to be so severely injured and prove Dublin was responsible for causing the non accidental injuries and deaths to so many cats.
“Dublin subjected these beautiful, innocent and affectionate creatures to unimaginable suffering by intentionally harming them. Animals feel pain and suffering just like we do and always deserve to be shown kindness and compassion, not cruelty and mistreatment.”
