‘Snake’ jailed after keeping 4ft crocodile in his bedroom
A MAN who allowed a 4ft crocodile to roam his bedroom has been jailed for animal cruelty offences. Lee Thompson, 36, also kept 23 snakes in “appalling” conditions at his home in Essex as well as a host of other exotic animals.
Essex Police said Thompson had been on their radar since 2015 when they found 45 exotic animals, including spiders, a lizard and a snapping turtle, at a unit he rented in Basildon.
Some of the animals, which had been left without water, food and heat, died, and the survivors were taken into the care of the RSPCA. Thompson, who is known as “Snake” because of a tattoo on his neck that includes the word “snake”, remained on the run until January 2018. He was arrested at an address in Basildon and on the same day officers found exotic animals at a house he rented in Westcliff.
The 4ft caiman was found at the property, along with 23 snakes and a fat-tailed scorpion and had no food, water or heat source. The snakes were in poorly-ventilated plastic boxes.
Thompson was jailed for four months at Basildon magistrates’ court.