A 19-year-old man who microwaved his pet kitten on full power for five minutes has been jailed for three months for an act of "monstrous cruelty".

Scott Taylor roasted the cat in his oven before hanging it by its front legs from a ceiling smoke alarm and laughing as it dropped to the floor, Nottingham magistrates heard on Monday.

He later boasted to friends: "You should have heard it scream. It was sweating a bit."

Tilly, a four-month old tortoiseshell, survived the attack despite suffering horrific injuries.

But vets were forced to amputate a rear leg and its tail.

Taylor, convicted in his absence at an earlier hearing, was also banned for life from keeping any animal.

But after the hearing his lawyer Stephen Burdon confirmed Taylor was going to appeal against the conviction for cruelty and of failing to provide veterinary care to an injured animal.

Mr Burdon said: "Because he was convicted in his absence the court has not heard any evidence of defence and there has been no cross examination of the prosecution case."

Hate mail

He also applied for a bail application, but chairwoman of the magistrates, Mrs Liz Cardwell, said that could be dealt with by the crown court judge who would hear the appeal.

Mrs Cardwell told Taylor: "The facts of the case are quite appalling and you have been found guilty of an act of monstrous cruelty.

"What you did caused prolonged suffering and you failed to seek any help until someone else intervened."

Speaking after Monday's hearing Taylor's girlfriend, Naomi Stirland, 18, said: "They have not listened to our side of the story.

"At the end of the day he says he did not do it and I know he didn't."

She added that herself and Taylor had been subjected to a hate campaign since his conviction.

Miss Stirland said: "We have had people shouting and swearing at us in the street, there has been hate mail and people have left horrible answerphone messages."

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said the organisation was delighted with the sentence.

But she added: "We are, however, disappointed that Taylor has decided to appeal. This case has already cost the RSPCA thousands of pounds."

No date has yet been set for Taylor's appeal to be heard.