In a case that has sparked outrage and disbelief, a 59-year-old father who threw his daughter’s kittens into the River Thames while shouting “let them die” has avoided an immediate prison sentence.
Andrew Shephard appeared in Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, where he was sentenced for the disturbing incident that took place last November in southwest London.
“I Want to Die”: The Shocking River Attack
According to court testimony, Shephard was helping his daughter re-home some kittens when he inexplicably tipped a box containing the animals off Twickenham Bridge. Witnesses reported hearing the 59-year-old screaming “let them die” and “I want to die” as he hurled the pets into the cold water below.
Prosecutor Manisha Kukadia told the court that police were alerted to “reports of a male throwing cats into the River Thames.” One kitten was thankfully saved from being thrown, while the other two were found by officers “wet and muddy” but still alive. The kittens were in a state of shock, with their body temperatures having dropped below 33 degrees Celsius.
Fortunately, all the pets survived the ordeal and have since been rehomed.
A “Drunken” Excuse
When questioned about his actions, Shephard offered little explanation, telling authorities he didn’t know “what came over me.” He admitted to being “very drunk at the time” and stated that he felt “bad about the situation.”
Despite his claims of remorse, the prosecution painted a darker picture of the incident. Kukadia argued that “there was a clear intention for the kittens to be killed, so it’s extreme and deliberate in nature.” She also noted that his intoxication was an aggravating factor, not an excuse.
Shephard, who represented himself in court, reiterated, “I feel bad for what I done. I’m not normally like that. I just don’t know what came over me at the time. I was incapacitated by alcohol.”
No Immediate Jail Time
Shephard had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. While the magistrates acknowledged the seriousness of the offense, they opted to suspend his prison sentence.
He was handed a 17-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. This means he will only serve the time if he re-offends during that period. In addition, he must complete 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days and pay £260 (approximately $320) in court costs.
Magistrate Elizabeth Evans explained the decision, stating that while the behavior was “serious enough in sentencing terms to justify a prison sentence,” the suspension was granted due to Shephard’s “good chance of rehabilitation.”
The leniency of the sentence has drawn comparisons to other recent cases, such as that of Patrick Coe, who was recently jailed for three years for tattooing children. The contrast in outcomes has left many questioning how an act of deliberate animal cruelty—shouting “let them die” while doing so—does not result in immediate incarceration.
