Man threw kittens off Twickenham Bridge into Thames

Our sister site London Now reports that Andrew Shephard, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court today (December 18).

The court heard that the 58-year-old was on Twickenham Bridge on November 30 with three of the animals in a box and "tipped them over the edge into the river".

Prosecutor Jack Wadsworth said this was seen by members of the public.

One person managed to save a kitten before it fell in, while the two other kittens entered the water.

Witnesses described hearing the defendant saying: “Let them die, I want them to die.”

Shephard represented himself and said: "I must say that I was completely out of it.

"I was absolutely paralytic.

“I don't really remember anything about what happened.

"I do realise what I did was horrible and I have to look myself every morning in the mirror and know what I did which is completely out of my normal behaviour.

"I can't say any more than that."

After the incident, Mr Wadsworth said that Shephard said, "he was very drunk and had a problem with alcohol and did not intend on killing them, but his daughter could no longer look after them.”

One of the kittens was taken home by a rescuer, while two were taken to a vet in "bad condition, the prosecutor added.

He will be sentenced on February 17.