A MAN who broke his cat’s leg after taking drugs has been banned from keeping animals.

Simon Walton kicked his tabby called Tom across the room and into a door frame after it disturbed him sleeping.

Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard the 26-year-old, of Bell Street, Crook, had taken Diazepam and smoked cannabis the previous evening. Kevin Campbell, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said the cat annoyed the sleeping defendant causing him to “lash out” with his foot.

Following a report from his stepfather, who noticed the pet was dragging its hind leg, the eight-month-old feline was seen by a vet.

Magistrates were told the cat was in extreme pain and had to have surgery on what was described by the vet as a “life-long injury”.

Mr Campbell said the vet found “the injury was consistent with the cat having been thrown at or kicked at the wall with force”.

Peter Hamill, mitigating, said Walton was remorseful and shocked by his behaviour. He added the defendant had consumed drugs the night before and his actions were not deliberate but “reckless”.

Appearing at court on Wednesday (April 26), Walton pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the protected animal.

He was sentenced to a deprivation and disqualification order banning him from keeping animals for three years and ordered to pay £300 prosecution costs.