Washington man who kicked pet rabbit across garden later blinded in violent prison attack
A Washington man who kicked a pet rabbit eight yards across a garden later found himself the victim of severe violence during a spell behind bars, a court heard.
Jack Morgan, 27, and an associate grabbed the bunny by the neck and threw it when it got in their way as they tried to break into a house in Birtley, Gateshead. When it hopped back, Morgan, of Cleveland Drive, Lambton, booted it with “significant force”, prosecutor Marcus Blakelock said.
He was jailed for 24 weeks after admitting attempted burglary, but a charge of animal cruelty was not brought until later. While behind bars, fellow inmates threw boiling water mixed with sugar in his face, blinding him in an eye and deafening him in an ear.
In a twist of fate, the rabbit was uninjured by his brutality on Thursday, February 6, magistrates in South Tyneside were told. Morgan appeared before them to plead guilty to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Of his attack, Mr Blakelock said: “The owner of the property has returned home following the burglary. There was CCTV, and he saw the defendant and another male enter the back garden and grab the rabbit by the neck and throw it across the garden.
“They then crossed the garden and tried to get into the back door. The rabbit jumped up and he is seen to kick it about eight yards across the garden. There’s quite clearly the use of significant force against the animal.”
Robin Ford, defending Morgan, who has eight previous convictions from eight offences, said: “At the time of this offence, he was in a particularly bad place. He was using drugs and was not doing the things that would have made his mother proud.
“What he did to the rabbit was disgusting. Jack now would not do what Jack did on February 6. His mum is in court and must hear about him kicking a rabbit half-way across the garden. He lived in Hetton and was targeted by criminals. He moved to Washington but continued his criminality.
“What he did to the rabbit was horrible, but all these matters should have been wrapped up together. When Jack was in custody, boiling hot water, mixed with sugar, was thrown over his face. There’s no permanent scarring but he lost the vision in his right eye and hearing in his right ear.
“It was retribution for his time in Hetton. The last thing he wants is to go back to prison. How many times do we want to punish Jack Morgan for what happened on February 6. There doesn’t appear to have been any damage to the rabbit.”
Magistrates adjourned the case for reports and granted Morgan unconditional bail to be sentenced at the same court on Thursday, September 25. They described his rabbit crime as a “grave offence” which they took seriously, but accepted it should have been dealt with together with the burglary.