Foul-mouthed postman jailed for killing cat

A cruel postman repeatedly smashed a cat in the face – because it jumped into his mail trolley. Alan Vincent, 38, violently bashed the trolley lid onto moggy Tiddy then tossed the dying pet over a garden hedge. Horrified neighbours who witnessed the callous attack heard the pet "meowing and screeching" in agony.

When shocked witnesses confronted the postie he yelled "f*** off" then casually carried on with his round. The 14-year-old tortoiseshell tabby, was found in a nearby garden by owner, Ami Hartridge, 34, and died several hours later from "horrific internal injuries". Vincent was jailed at Reading Magistrates Court for six months after being found guilty of causing unnecessary animal suffering.



Chairman of magistrates Ian Bacon said: "Tiddy died in a great deal of suffering and pain - a horrible death. You have offered no remorse whatsoever, none." Laura Lucardini, 72, told the court: "I saw the postman bashing the lid down and realised he was smashing it onto the cat who was meowing loudly, screeching." Another witness, June Dye-Hodge Beardsley, ran out and confronted Vincent before dialling 999.

A recording of the emergency call played to the court heard the postman launching into a foul-mouthed tirade and storming off. Outside court Ms Hartridge's partner, Stephen Hughes, 50, said: "Justice has been done, but it won't bring Tiddy back. What this man did to our cat was cruel and disgusting, I hope he has time to think about what he did as he sits in his prison cell." Vincent, from Feltham, Middlesex, has been sacked by the Royal Mail.