THERE will be those who take the view that jailing someone for killing a hamster is excessive. We are not among them.

The North-East has an unenviable record for animal cruelty and the case of Anthony Parker is one of the most appalling it has been our misfortune to report.

After a row with his girlfriend, drunken Parker, of Hartlepool, put her pet hamster in a microwave oven, turned it on, and subjected the animal to an agonising death.

Parker argued in court that he did not know what he was doing because he was drunk. It is no excuse. Plenty of people get drunk – but only the cruellest would put a hamster in a microwave.

Only last week, we reported how Paul Hinton, of Darlington, had admitted cruelty to a dog which had suffered injuries all over its body, caused by kicking or being hit with a blunt object.

The poor animal, which had been tied up, died of heart failure and its injuries were so sickening that a police officer who attended the scene has suffered flashbacks.

Hinton is due back before magistrates on October 7 for sentencing. We hope he too is jailed.

Sadly, we are aware of other horrific animal cruelty cases which are due before the courts and it is our intention to publish them prominently, with pictures of the defendants so their abhorrent crimes are out in the open.

We will support the RSPCA in hammering home the message that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated – and that, in the worst cases, offenders will be sent to prison.