A woman barred from keeping animals for life after repeatedly punching a defenceless kitten has been fined after two dogs were found in her Newcastle home.
It was 15 years ago when Nicola Collinson received her lifetime ban, but Newcastle Magistrates’ Court heard that on January 10 this year a chihuahua and a Jack Russell were found living at the 36-year-old’s home after a housing officer tipped off the RSPCA.
Collinson told an RSPCA inspector that she had been caring for the Jack Russell, called Lucy, since her father’s death in November 2020, and that the chihuahua, known as Robbie, had been brought into the house by her partner in August last year.
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Collinson, who the court heard is unemployed and has four children, was dealt with in her absence after failing to attend the hearing to answer a charge of breaching her lifetime disqualification of keeping all animals, which was handed down at Gosforth Magistrates’ in January 2007.
Alex Bousfield, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told Deputy District Judge Katy Rafter, that Collinson had been given the indefinite disqualification after she had punched and “drop-kicked as if it was a rugby ball” a black and white kitten that had wandered over to her on a Newcastle street.
He said the kitten was recovered and she had repeated the same act.
Her actions had come to light after she filmed the attack on a mobile phone and shared it with friends. The footage was then circulated before being brought to the attention of the RSPCA.
Mr Bousfield said the kitten was never found and no-one knows what happened to it.
Collinson was subsequently convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal after pleading guilty to the offence and the lifetime disqualification made.
Mr Bousfield said since the dogs were found at her home Collinson had been co-operative with the RSPCA. Both Lucy and Robbie were found to be in perfect condition and have since been re-homed.
He said Collinson admitted she had been looking after Lucy for around 26 months, and Robbie for five months. No harm had been caused to either animal.
Ms Rafter said that in Collinson's absence she was satisfied that the defendant had been served notice to attend court and that having heard a summary of the evidence that she had kept two dogs she was disqualified from having.
She fined Collinson £120 with a £34 victim surcharge for the breach. The lifetime ban on keeping animals still stands.
