A cat cruelty case heard at Monaghan District Court (13th April) saw a married couple receiving a three monthpriosn sentence for what Judge Raymond Finnegan described as what happened as “cruel” and “horrendous” behaviour towards an innocent animal.
Patrick Connolly (67) and Bernie Connolly (64), Alderwood, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan were each sentenced to three months in prison after admitting to animal cruelty and stealing their neighbour’s cat.
On the 13th May 2025, their neighbour, Ms Agnieszka Krajewska, reported the theft of her cat to the Gardaí. It was seen in her garden earlier, but was not there later on in the day.
Examination of the footage from her property’s CCTV system showed Mr Connolly lifting the cat from his patio and bringing it into his kitchen.
CCTV footage showed them trapping the cat in their kitchen, placing it into a white bag, tying it with string, and leaving their home with it. They later abandoned the bagged cat at Creevy Lake, a few miles outside Carrickmacross.
The cat was found three days later, alive but in very poor condition.
Initially, the Connollys denied involvement in the cat’s disappearance, but they admitted what happened once gardaí reviewed the CCTV footage.
Sara Brennan BL, for Patrick and Bernie Connolly, argued that the cat repeatedly entered their garden and that they had complained to the neighbours about it defecating where their grandchildren played. They described the incident as “exceptionally foolish” and offered an apology and €1,000 compensation.
Holding Cell
Judge Raymond Finnegan rejected the idea that this was a minor lapse, calling the act “cruel,” “horrendous,” and “unspeakable.” He briefly placed the couple in the court’s holding cell, telling them they could reflect on “how it feels to be trapped.”
He concluded that a custodial sentence was unavoidable. Judge Finnegan sentenced both Patrick and Bernie Connolly to three months imprisonment on the animal cruelty charge, with the theft charge taken into consideration.
The couple were granted leave to appeal, with recognisances set at €250 each.
To report any animal welfare concerns:
ISPCA’s National Animal Cruelty Helpline on 0818 515 515
Report online at: https://ispca.ie/report-cruelty
E:helpline@ispca.ie.
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