Animals tortured for "crush fetish" video
London, EN (UK)

Incident Date: Friday, Nov 15, 2002

Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Brian Patrick McCann

A middle-aged father of four has been jailed for his role in producing a so-called "squish" video in which a kitten was killed by a woman in high heels. Brian Patrick McCann, 47, a publican from Kings Cross, London, pleaded guilty to conspiring to publish obscene material.

A police search of McCann's computer had revealed 40 files of "squish" or "crush" movies in which small animals such as kittens, guinea pigs, mice and even fish and earthworms were squashed to death, usually by a woman in high heels and wearing a short skirt. McCann had ordered the movies and stills over the Internet after discovering similar material in his Islington pub.

Judge Nicholas Medowar QC said McCann had directly contributed to the production of at least one of the films, ordering specific scenes to be inserted to satisfy his own desires.

He said McCann had offered "excuses more than explanations" and appeared to be in denial about the gravity of what he had done, and imposed a jail term to be effective immediately.

RSPCA inspector Simon Osborne, who witnessed scenes from the movies, said they were the most sickening he had seen in his six years as an animal protection officer.

"What was very distressing for me was not only watching these animals being trodden on...but it was the sounds of the animals screaming in pain, in obvious terrible agony," he said.

Mr Osborne said the society was disappointed a tougher sentence had not been imposed and that animal cruelty had been dropped from the charge list.

He has been sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court to nine months in prison.

References

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