A Brisbane teen who kicked a pet kitten to death in a suburban park claims he did not deserve to be sent to jail. Shane Moore, who was only 17 when he repeatedly sunk the boot into three month old tabby Bubbles, fatally rupturing her kidneys and liver, was described by a disgusted Caboolture Magistrate last year as "savage" and "perverse" over the June 2006 attack near Moore's home at Nerangba, north of Brisbane. Moore was jailed for a month and placed on probation for a year and a half after it was revealed the tiny pet kitten had wandered from a neighbouring property and had rubbed up against Moore in search of a cuddle. He admitted to kicking Bubbles twice because he "wanted to get rid of it." Today, lawyers for Moore launched a legal challenge against the one month jail term, arguing the punishment did not fit the crime. Barrister Brian Devereaux SC told an appeal hearing at Brisbane's District Court Magistrate Peter Hasted had been "inexplicably wrong" to put Moore behind bars on the 7th November last year because his client - a young man who lived at home with his parents - had not intended to kill or torture the animal. However barrister for the Crown, Graeme Page SC, said Moore's intent was irrelevant. He said Magistrate Hasted had been right to jail Moore as a deterrent to others who mistreated animals. "This was a kitten... it was vulnerable," Mr Page said. "This was done in a public place in the presence of other minors, other children." Moore is seeking to have his criminal conviction and one month sentence overturned. While the court is yet to make a decision on the appeal, RSPCA senior inspector Tracey Jackson said she hoped Moore's jail term would be upheld. "We think that the sentence is in line with community expectations," Ms Jackson said. "We want to set that legal precedent that acts of animal cruelty will not be tolerated." Moggies comment: Shane Moore has proven that he has no remorse, has not learnt anything from being jailed, if anything, he should face further jail time to give him time to contemplate and realise just how mentally sick he really is, as for his lawyers, this is what you expect from a twisted legal system. |