‘Brighton cat killer’ arrested after 25 pets killed or attacked in 18 months
A MIDDLE-AGED man believed to be the Brighton Cat Killer has been arrested after 25 cats were brutally killed or seriously injured in the city over the last 18 months. Cops nicked the 52-year-old local following the death of a feline found fatally wounded near Trafalgar Street, East Sussex, on Saturday. The “breakthrough” arrest comes […]
A MIDDLE-AGED man believed to be the Brighton Cat Killer has been arrested after 25 cats were brutally killed or seriously injured in the city over the last 18 months.
Cops nicked the 52-year-old local following the death of a feline found fatally wounded near Trafalgar Street, East Sussex, on Saturday.
The “breakthrough” arrest comes a year-and-a-half after Sussex Police launched an investigation into a string of attacks.
Officers secured CCTV footage of the suspect after being alerted to the lasted attack on Saturday.
Arriving at the scene, they found the cat “had sustained serious wounds” before dying.
They tracked down a man caught on camera suspected of causing criminal damage and possessing an offensive weapon.
A force spokesman said: “Sussex Police have arrested a local man in connection with cat deaths in Brighton following a breakthrough in a longstanding investigation.
BRIGHTON BREAKTHROUGH
“Officers were made aware that a cat had been injured near Trafalgar Street, Brighton on Saturday evening.
“The investigation response quickly located and secured CCTV footage of the area.
“This was viewed and a local 52-year-old man was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.
“He has been released on police bail until June 28.”
Detective Inspector Chris Thompson added that a witness who stroked the cat before it’s grisly death could help their enquiries further.
DISTRAUGHT OWNERS IN THE DARK
He said: “We are keen to trace a witness who we believe may hold vital information to our investigation.
“He is a white man, around 5ft 8ins, in his 20s or 30s, of medium build, with long dark wavy hair and was wearing sunglasses at the time.
“We believe he may have stroked the cat before it was injured around 7.50pm on Saturday, June 1.
“If this is you please make contact with us.”
Mr Thompson said the force is determined to close the case and find answers for distraught owners.
Officers have been working in partnership with experts at the Royal Veterinary College to establish the precise cause of deaths.
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He added: “We increased patrols in and around the areas that the cats have been injured or died, there have been house to house enquiries, we’ve viewed CCTV, taken statements from the owners and anyone who has found an injured or dead cat and continue to speak with anyone who has come forward with information about these incidents.”
The investigation and arrest in Brighton comes after the Metropolitan Police closed a probe into more than 400 cat deaths across London and the home counties attributed to the so-called Croydon Cat Killer.
The Met said that there was no evidence of a crime and put the deaths down to vehicle collisions and attacks by wild animals.
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