Judge allowed defendant to be accompanied by his cat in court

A judge sitting at Chelmsford Crown Crown in Essex allowed a defendant to take his cat into court on Tuesday morning to help him stay calm.



Aiden Wiltshire, 72, sat in the dock whilst his black cat Taylor watched proceedings from a wheeled shopping trolley, poking his head out of the top to see what was going on and to be continually stroked by Wiltshire as the hearing unfolded.

Judge Charles Gratwicke, the senior judge at the court, had given permission for Taylor to be present after being told by Wiltshire’s lawyer, Gavin Burrell that his client was 'someone who suffers with health issues and is emotionally supported by his cat.' “It's a crutch which he relies on. It's in a basket and not roaming free.



"I appreciate it sounds somewhat odd but there's documentary evidence that the cat does provide emotional support for the defendant to cope," he told the court. As the defendant left the court, the judge said "don't let the cat out of the bag". Wiltshire, of Chelmsford, is accused of two offences of stalking. He has not yet entered any pleas. His case was adjourned until the new year.