Man beat kitten and blamed injuries on 'falling TV'

A man who claimed a television had fallen on his kitten after beating the pet has been banned from keeping animals.

Kyson Cummings, 24, from Swindon, inflicted such severe injuries to four-month-old Grimz that the kitten had to be euthanised by a vet.

Cummings was found guilty at Swindon Magistrates' Court on 13 March of failing to ensure the kitten's needs were met and was sentenced to an 18-month community order following a case brought by the RSPCA.

As well us undertaking rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid work, he was also disqualified from keeping animals for five years.

The court heard the cat had been living with Cummings' family for about six weeks when they contacted their local vet in November 2024, claiming Grimz had been found injured and unresponsive under the television, which they said had fallen off its stand.

The vet, however, found severe injuries during the examination, and said a family member had expressed scepticism about Cummings' account of what happened.

She explained the family member had told her he had "mentioned wanting to harm the kitten the previous week due to its toileting habits".

After examining the comatose cat, the vet recommended euthanasia due to extensive head injuries and a "grim prognosis".

She reported the case as she found it implausible a 1.1kg (2.4lb) kitten could displace a television screen.

Independent veterinary surgeon David Martin, acting as an expert witness for the RSPCA, said he was of the opinion Grimz was deliberately harmed.

"It is highly unlikely that a kitten would be able to knock the TV over, even if playing boisterously," he said. "The injuries are completely inconsistent … but are completely compatible with a heavy and forceful kick to the underside of the head."

Mr Martin said Grimz was "not caused to suffer" as there was no evidence of him being conscious after the attack, but added the "deliberate act of intentional cruelty" could have been a result of Grimz urinating on the bed an hour or so before the incident.

Following the sentencing, RSPCA inspector Miranda Albinson said: "This young kitten was hit with such force that his severe injuries meant the only option was to put him to sleep.

"Owning a pet is a privilege - they are reliant on their owners to care for them and keep them safe and healthy. Sadly, Grimz was failed by his owner here."

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