Baby hamster killed after chef throws it out of window in break-up row with girlfriend

A man took revenge on his ex by throwing her baby hamster to its death out of a window as she watched helplessly beneath. Ryan Goodwin, aged 22, was in the middle of a violent row after splitting up with 23-year-old Sarah Symons when he hurled the pet, named Kaya, in its cage. The animal plunged from the first-floor window of his council flat in Plymouth and was dead when Sarah picked it up.

She was on her mobile to the police at the moment he threw the animal and the tape recorded her saying: "Don't you dare drop that" and then screaming and telling the police: "He killed my hamster". Chef Goodwin, of Marlborough Street, Devonport, admitted animal cruelty, but denied using threatening behaviour to Sarah during the argument in January when he went on trial at Plymouth Magistrates Court.



Goodwin said he had never threatened her and said he had dropped the cage out of the window for her to catch. He said: "I gave her three seconds to catch it and then dropped it. I'm extremely remorseful for that. It has made me upset. I would never do anything cruel to a hamster or any other animal.

"I am very apologetic about it. I did buy the hamster and the cage, but I know I shouldn't have done that and I am remorseful for it." He was found guilty and the case was adjourned for sentence next month. District Judge Paul Farmer said that he was keeping all sentencing options open on the animal cruelty charge.