Man who knifed 16 cats caught on grieving owner’s CCTV, jury told
A SECURITY guard stabbed nine cats to death and injured another seven, a court heard yesterday.
Steve Bouquet, 54, was allegedly caught when the owner of one victim set up CCTV.
The pets were attacked in Brighton between October 2018 and June 2019.
Owners who had no insurance had to fork out thousands in vet bills, with total costs reaching £32,000, the jury heard.
Rowan Jenkins, prosecuting, said: “Sometimes owners found their cats were still alive and were able to take them to their vets.
“Not all were able to find them in time. Some vets found themselves with more than one case.
“Despite their best professional efforts, many of the animals could not be saved.”
Mr Jenkins said one bereaved cat owner and CCTV expert helped identify Bouquet.
Engineer Alan Levy and his partner were heartbroken when their cat Hannah was stabbed in October 2018. Nine months later, cameras he installed allegedly captured Bouquet stroking a nine-month-old black shorthair called Hendrix before stabbing him in the side “with some force” at 7.50pm.
Bleeding heavily, the injured animal fled to his home but died at the vet’s.
Mr Jenkins said Bouquet went back to the scene days later. Mr Levy, who was checking CCTV, saw him and called police.
The prosecutor said: “Mr Bouquet was followed and stopped by police that evening. He was in possession of the same rucksack as seen on earlier images.
“He was searched by police and from a pouch on his belt was found a Leatherman multi-tool. That included a locking knife.” Mr Jenkins said analysis of Bouquet’s phone showed he was near the attack scenes when they took place – and DNA on a blade at his home was from a cat. Bouquet, who worked at Churchill Square Shopping Centre, Brighton, denies 16 counts of criminal damage and possessing a lock knife at Chichester Crown Court.
He was not in court but Judge Jeremy Gold QC told the jury not to speculate on his absence. Before the trial, prospective jurors who had an “intense love” of cats that would prevent them from being impartial were asked to alert themselves to the judge so they would not be selected.
Those who hated cats were also exempted from the case. The trial continues.