In longest sentence ever for animal cruelty, cat killer imprisoned for two years

Japanese national Okamura Satoshi, who plead guilty to a series of cat killings across several localities was jailed for two years on Tuesday morning.

The two-year prison sentence is the longest ever given to someone charged with animal cruelty.

Satoshi had admitted to animal cruelty charges, as well as slightly injuring police officers. 

The convicted man was also handed a 40-year ban from keeping animals, and will be deported back to Japan once he has completed his prison sentence.

During the last sitting, the prosecution outlined how Satoshi had told his probation officer that cats are like gold-digging women.

The issue was first brought to light on 17 June on Facebook after cats were attacked and killed in the area of St Alfons Street, Our Saviour Street, and St Charles Street in Sliema.

The arrest took place at around 3:00am on Triq Manuel Dimech in Sliema following several days of surveillance by police. The suspect had been identified based on descriptions gathered during the investigation and from security camera footage.

A campaign to help identify and arrest the accused had been launched by animal activists, who had even collected over €5,000 as a reward for information on Satoshi.

Upon stopping the man, who is a Japanese national, police conducted a search and found a pair of latex gloves, similar to those allegedly used in the cat killings, as well as packets of cat food and treats in his pocket.

Further searches revealed that he was in possession of clothes that match those worn by the killer when he was seen slamming a cat on the ground in Sliema, in an incident captured on CCTV footage.

The court heard that Satoshi resisted arrest and slightly injured two police officers right before they searched his home. 

Duty magistrate Nadine Sant Lia found the accused guilty by his own admission and jailed him for two years and imposed a fine of €15,000 to be paid within a period of two years.

A three-year treatment order was also issued and the man was also banned from keeping animals for 40 years.

MaltaToday is informed Satoshi is able to appeal the decision against him.

Inspector Eliot Magri prosecuted. Defence lawyers Adreana Zammit and Marion Camilleri represented the accused. Magistrate Nadine Sant Lia presided over the case.