A former Mowbray man kicked a sick cat so hard that it became airborne for up to two metres, the Launceston Magistrates Court heard.
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Gary Raymond Cooper, 31, then of Jellico was found guilty by Magistrate Simon Brown of two counts of do an act resulting in harm to an animal on Easter Sunday 2021.
She was walking to a playground when she saw a man yelling. She said that she saw the man run with some energy from the side of the house and kick an item that she did not immediately recognise as a cat until it was airborne.
She told the court that the man, later identified as Cooper, then said: "I hate cats, I think I've f---ing killed it."
Mr Brown said that he found the witness very impressive and careful. However, he said the evidence given in court by Cooper to be wholly unsatisfactory and smacked of reconstruction.
"Her evidence was that the defendant went into the house and returned with some gloves and then picked it up, kicked it again and then threw it over the fence," Mr Brown said.
The court heard that the witness rang Just Cats Tasmania founder Rachel Beech who asked a volunteer went to pick the cat up in Jellico Street.
Answering questions from prosecutor Lillian King Roberts the volunteer Jacqueline McLean said the ginger and white cat was "just laying there" when she arrived at the address.
"It tried to move away but it couldn't," she said.
"I spent 5-10 minutes reassuring it ...and then put it in a crate and took it to the Animal Medical Centre."
Veterinary surgeon Dr Robert Schaeche said the cat had a swollen abdomen, pale gums and its hind limbs were not functioning correctly.
He said the abdominal cavity was full of blood but an X-ray did not show bone damage.
He said what he saw was consistent with what he was told by Ms McLean-that the cat had been kicked and thrown.
Dr Schaeche said a decision was made to euthanise the cat because it had an extensive tumour in its liver.
The court heard that Constable William Quinney spoke to Mr Cooper a fortnight later who claimed he had been at a football match on the day of the cat's injuries.
Constable Quinney said a photo board of twelve faces was assembled in which Mr Cooper was number 5.
He took it to the eyewitness who said: "Number 5, that's him."
In court Mr Cooper admitted lying to police about where he was but said it was because he got the dates confused.
He said he lied to police because he knew police would go for him because of his criminal record.
He gave evidence he had tried to shoo the cat with his foot before retrieving gloves.
"I did not kick the cat," he said.
He said he picked it up with two hands before holding it by the tail with one hand and throwing it over the fence.
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Mr Brown said that Cooper's evidence of fetching gloves and putting the cat over the fence corroborated much of the witness's evidence.
Co-prosecutor Emily Bill said that Cooper had not prior offences for animal welfare issues but had a prior offence of common assault, traffic issues and a number of prior offences.
Mr Brown order that Cooper get a pre -sentence report and adjourned sentencing to April 13 at 9.45am.
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