Cat was forced to inhale cannabis

Kane had stolen the cat from a friend of his girlfriend

A teenager who stole a cat put it in a bag, forced it to inhale cannabis and then swung it round his head like a lasso, a court has heard.

Jobless Mark Kane, 19, was filmed on a mobile phone carrying out the "sadistic attack" on the tabby cat, South Tyneside Magistrates' Court was told.

The court heard Kane, of St Aidan's Road, South Shields, was using the drug at the time of the January incident.

He admitted causing unnecessary suffering and sentencing was adjourned.

Prosecutor Clive McKeag said Kane was inhaling cannabis from a water pipe - known as a "bong" - at the time of the attack.

There was no purpose behind it, except for sheer gratuitous violence Clive McKeag, prosecuting

He described the incident as "sadistic and wicked".

He said: "The defendant can be seen on the video taking a cat, putting it in a bag, then inhaling some cannabis and blowing that cannabis into a bag, sealing the bag and then swinging the bag round his head like a lasso.

"There was no purpose behind it, except for sheer gratuitous violence. Such was the attack it would cause outrage to any decent member of the public.

"The only reason he could have done it was to take pleasure from causing very substantial suffering to this animal."

Mr McKeag said Kane had stolen the cat from a friend of his girlfriend.

Police discovered the video on Kane's mobile phone after he was arrested by officers investigating another matter.

Tim Gregory, defending, said Kane was "ashamed" and was impeded by the effects of the cannabis.

Speaking after the hearing, Inspector Claire Hunt, of the RSPCA, which brought the prosecution, said: "I have never seen anything so blatant. It was for pure pleasure."

The court heard the cat survived the attack, ran off and has not been found.