Teens admit to torturing and killing kittens found hanged and mutilated in London
20 May 2025, 17:53
A teenage girl and boy have admitted to torturing and killing two kittens which were found cut open in a wooded area in north-west London.
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Police were called to Ickenham Road, Ruislip, on May 3 to find the kittens cut open with ropes attached to them.
One was found hanging from a tree while the other was on the ground nearby.
A 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court to causing unnecessary suffering to the protected animals by mutilating and killing them.
The pair appeared in the dock flanked by security officers and spoke only to confirm their personal details and to admit the charges.
They also both admitted one count of possession of a knife at Ruislip Golf Course.
The court heard members of the public had seen the teenage boy in possession of an animal carrier and "became concerned" when they later saw him and the girl running from the scene.
Knives, blowtorches and scissors were also found at the scene, the hearing was told.
Prosecutor Valerie Benjamin told the court evidence from the boy's phone showed he had spoken about killing cats and dogs and had searched how to kill a human.
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After the kittens were found, police appealed for information and released CCTV images of suspects and an image of a black bag believed to have been used to carry the animals in.
Two other teenagers, a 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl, arrested on Friday on suspicion of animal cruelty were released without charge, the Metropolitan Police said.
The defendants were remanded into the care of the local authority with conditions including a 6pm to 7am curfew monitored by police and to not contact one another.
Judge Michael Oliver told the defendants: "As I hope is clear to you, the offences are extremely serious.
"I am not ruling out any way of dealing with you."
The teenagers will be sentenced at the same court on June 23.
