BEVERLEY LOWE FROM BRISTON SENTENCED FOR CRUELTY TO CATS IN MELTON CONSTABLE

Beverley Lowe, also known as Beverley Atterbury, born on April 5, 2001, and residing at Old Post Road in Briston, faced serious legal consequences after her involvement in the tragic death of her two pet cats. The incident took place at her home in Melton Constable, NR24 7NB, and has garnered significant attention due to the nature of the cruelty involved.

According to court records, Lowe admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to her animals, specifically two cats named Gizmo, a black-and-white male, and Delilah, a tortoiseshell female. The court was informed that on October 22, 2020, Lowe drowned her cats in her bathroom at her residence. The cats' lifeless bodies were later discovered wrapped in towels and discarded in her wheelie bin on October 24, after a friend reported the matter to authorities.

Further investigations revealed that the RSPCA confiscated another cat and a pet chihuahua from Lowe’s home the following day. Lowe initially claimed that the cats had wandered outside after she left the door open while disposing of rubbish. She explained that she found the cats with blood on them and believed they had been involved in a road accident, prompting her to wash them in the bath, during which they drowned. However, an expert examining the case dismissed her explanation, indicating that while the cats had suffered blunt force trauma, the injuries did not align with those typically caused by a road accident.

Prosecutor Johnathon Eales highlighted that Lowe had no prior convictions and this was her first appearance in court. He questioned the motive behind her actions, stating, “This still leaves the burning question of why? Why do such a thing?”

During the court hearing, Lowe expressed remorse, stating, “I know what I did was wrong and I shouldn’t have done it. One of the witnesses kind of led me to kill the cats because she said that she would have done it after I said what had happened. Also because I was pregnant it was really stressful and it kind of led me to kill the cats anyway.”

Magistrate Mary Wyndham addressed the court, emphasizing the severity of the crime: “The harm was high because both cats, because of your treatment, were killed, and in a violent manner. And we’ve heard from an expert in this matter that great suffering was caused to both of these animals.”

In sentencing, Lowe received an 18-month suspended jail sentence, along with costs amounting to £728. Additionally, she was banned from owning pets for the rest of her life, reflecting the court’s stance on animal cruelty and the importance of animal welfare in the community of Melton Constable and Briston.