‘Sadistic’ youngster rapist ‘gained enjoyment’ as cat suffered horrific accidents

Paul Thorpe, 62, who was jailed in 2009 for the ‘very serious’ rape of a child, dangled a neighbour’s cat over a fence towards a dog, causing horrific injuries to the feline

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A defenceless cat was subjected to a savage assault after a former Royal Marine callously “dangled” the innocent pet over a fence and into the jaws of a dog.

Just moments before the horrifying incident, Paul Thorpe, 62, had nonchalantly enquired about the owner’s two dogs’ behaviour around cats. Thorpe lifted the cat possibly out of a “morbid curiosity” about the potential outcome.

The dog was a breed known for its capacity to inflict “serious injury or even death” and the feline sustained gruesome injuries when one of its hind legs was bitten down to the bone its was also completely bitten off, Hull Crown Court heard.

The dog, a breed known for its potential to cause “serious injury or even death”, inflicted gruesome injuries on the cat—biting one of its hind legs down to the bone and completely severing it—Hull Crown Court heard.

On November 5 last year, Thorpe from Ashthorpe, Orchard Park Estate in Hull, admitted to failing to prevent causing unnecessary suffering to a cat. Prosecutor Mark Luxford revealed that at the time, Thorpe was living next door to a woman who owned a black cat, on Star Hill Road, Driffield.

In her absence, he picked up the cat and casually “quizzed” another neighbour, who owned two dogs, about how his pets behaved around cats. He then heartlessly dangled the cat over a fence into the man’s garden.

The dog attacked the cat, inflicting severe damage to one of its feet and its tail, reports HullLive. It appeared that Thorpe “derived some sort of pleasure” from the horrific scene and did nothing to halt the attack.

His face showed no signs of remorse for his failure to intervene. The other man attempted to step in, but the dog sank its teeth into his hand.

The cat sustained a severe wound penetrating right to the bone in one of its limbs, whilst its tail was completely severed by the attack. “The defendant failed to intervene once the dog started attacking the cat,” Mr Luxford stated.

It was “sadistic” conduct by Thorpe that had inflicted considerable pain and distress, resulting in a “grave injury”. When questioned by police, Thorpe acknowledged his reckless actions and expressed remorse regarding the harm caused.

He volunteered to cover any veterinary expenses. His criminal history included three prior offences, notably an eight-year prison sentence handed down at Hull Crown Court in December 2009 for the “very serious” rape of a child, the court was told.

Holly Thompson, representing the defence, emphasised that Thorpe had not attempted to downplay the gravity of what occurred. “This was a short-lived incident, one that caused an immense degree of harm,” Miss Thompson argued.

She further said:

“It was a momentary or brief lapse in judgement. This was entirely unacceptable conduct.

“The defendant has accepted that it was. He made admissions and apologised in full.

“His actions on this day can only be described as odd and without any real motive. There is certainly no precursor to the incident.

“There was no argument and there was not a negative relationship between him and his neighbours. He is an entirely nice guy and is friendly and helpful.

“He is entirely apologetic at his conduct and he did not, at the time, realise the severity of it. He was unable to come to terms with it and he buried his head in the sand.

“He has come to terms with it now. He acted largely out of character.”

Thorpe had previously served with the Royal Marines before being medically discharged in 1990. During his military service, he had witnessed “atrocities”.

Recorder David Kelly suggested that Thorpe may have been driven by “morbid curiosity” when he dangled the cat before the dog, but emphasised that he knowingly put the animal in danger. Thorpe received an eight-month suspended jail term and 15 days’ rehabilitation.

He was ordered to pay £300 compensation to the cat owner and £300 to the man who was bitten.

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