Drunk dad yelled let them die' after throwing kittens into river

"A drunken dad who threw his daughter's pet kittens into the River Thames shouted let them die, a court has heard. Andrew Shephard was helping his daughter rehome the three young cats when he tipped them from a box into the water from Twickenham bridge, in south-west London, last November. As he did, he could be heard shouting let them die and I want them to die, Wimbledon Magistrates' Court heard on Tuesday."

"There were three kittens in total and while one was saved before it fell in, the other two were wet and muddy but alive when they were found by police officers. Andrew Shephard could be heard shouting let them die' and I want them to die', Wimbledon Magistrates' Court heard (PA Archive) The animals were both said to be in shock and their temperature had dropped below 33C. The court heard the kittens belonged to Shephard's daughter, who had given them to her father in order to help rehome them. Ms Kukadia said the defendant's daughter was not aware of his actions in relation to the incident on the bridge."

A 59-year-old man, Andrew Shephard, tipped three young kittens from a box into the River Thames from Twickenham Bridge while intoxicated last November. He shouted "let them die" and "I want them to die" as he threw the animals. One kitten was saved before falling in; two were later found wet, muddy, alive, in shock, with temperatures below 33C. The kittens belonged to his daughter, who had given them to him to help rehome and was unaware of his actions. He pleaded guilty to three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, expressed remorse, and cited heavy intoxication and an alcohol problem. A prosecutor described the act as extreme and deliberate, with alcohol as an aggravating factor.

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