Wheelie-bin cat dumper charged

A still from the security footage showing Mary Bale, inset, throwing cat Lola into a wheelie bin.

The woman who provoked outrage by dumping a cat in a rubbish bin has been charged with two criminal offences, the RSPCA in Britain said today.

Mary Bale, 45, has been charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a cat, a tabby called Lola, and also of not providing the animal with a suitable environment.

Miss Bale was captured on CCTV in August calmly stroking Lola on a street in the English town of Coventry before looking around, dumping the cat in a wheelie bin and calmly walking away.

Lola was trapped in the bin for 15 hours until her owners, Stephanie and Darryl Andrews-Mann, found her. They posted the CCTV footage on YouTube in an effort to track down the culprit.

The British press tracked down Miss Bale, a bank worker, who reportedly had to go into hiding after receiving death threats.

The Sun today printed a statement from the RSPCA saying: "Mary is due to appear at Coventry Magistrates Court on Tuesday October 19 to face two criminal charges, contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

"The RSPCA has taken the case to court as two alleged offences have been committed - of causing unnecessary suffering to a cat and of not providing the animal with a suitable environment.

"Ms Bale was witnessed on CCTV footage stroking a cat, then looking round and picking the cat up by the scruff of its neck before putting it in a wheelie bin, shutting the lid and walking away from the scene.

"At no point did she return. The cat was trapped in the bin for approximately 15 hours.

"As criminal proceedings are now active the RSPCA will not be issuing any further statements or completing interview requests until conclusion of the court case."

Miss Bale has refused to comment since giving a statement to RSPCA investigators, said The Sun.

The RSPCA confirmed that offences under the Animal Welfare Act can carry a prison sentence and lifetime ban from keeping animals.

- NZ Herald staff