Woman banned from keeping animals after trapping 23 cats in wheelie bin - eight of which crushed and suffocated
Sharon Claire Price tried to claim she had found the cats in some nearby woodland
Warning: Contains distressing content
A cruel woman who trapped 23 cats inside a wheelie bin and left 15 to stand on top of the corpses of eight that had died has been banned from keeping pets.
Listen to this article
Sharon Claire Price, 52, lodged the animals inside the bin without food or water, and prevented them from escaping by placing a microwave on top of the lid.
The cats at the bottom of the pile were "slowly crushed and suffocated," according to vets who were tasked in the RSPCA investigation.
Kingston Crown Court heard that eight had died and the remaining 15 were standing on their bodies, severely dehydrated, underweight, and covered in fleas, the experts said.
Read more: MAFS UK star Mel Shilling 'does not know how long she has left' after latest cancer news
Read more: Dig at medieval castle reveals lost relic from the Cold War
A vet said: "All of the 23 cats suffered immensely. The deceased cats at the bottom of the pile were slowly crushed and suffocated by the weight pressing down on them, and suffered the worst from the effects of the urine of the cats dripping down to the bottom of the bin, soaking their skin and burning their airways.
"Those trapped underneath were unable to move, and the ones higher were tangled in a metal grid with no way to escape.
"They had no option but to stand or lay on the dead bodies of other cats below them. They all would have experienced extreme fear and physical pain without any way of being able to achieve even temporary relief from their conditions."
The cats were found by local housing association staff, and were collected by Cats Protection charity workers and taken to the vet.
Price tried to claim she had found the cats in some woods nearby, and said she had been advised by another animal charity to place them in a bin and secure the lid.
It came as she was moving out of a property on Whitmores Close, Epsom, between 21 and 24 July 2024.
But the subsequent RSPCA probe found that staff had advised her to contact them directly, which she failed to do so.
The 15 surviving cats were placed in the care of the charity and Cats Protection.
Price, of West Street, Epsom, was sentenced to four-months in prison suspended for two years and was ordered to complete ten rehabilitation activity requirement days. She was disqualified from keeping cats and dogs for ten years.
RSPCA Inspector Liz Wheeler, who led the investigation, said: "People will be absolutely shocked to think of what these poor 23 cats went through trapped in this wheelie bin.
"Price claimed she had found the cats in woodland the previous day and had been advised to place them in a bin.
"Our enquiries did not support that account. It was clear the cats had been suffering for some time due to their poor body condition and heavy flea infestations.
"Placing them in a bin on a hot day and trapping them inside caused significant and unnecessary suffering.'
In mitigation, the court heard Price suffers from mental and physical health issues and that she helps care for two daughters also with mental health issues.