South Shields man jailed after 'horrendous' screwdriver attack on snake
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Magistrates imprisoned Michael McCann after judging the incident at his former South Shields hostel home to be an “horrendous attack on a defenceless animal”.
The court was told that the impact was so severe that the boa constrictor’s teeth and jaw were embedded in a carpet.
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Hide AdExperts also fear that the 3ft-long snake – which was believed to have been posted through the Belgrave Terrace hostel’s letterbox a few days earlier – suffered additional pain and stress while trapped before dying after a “significant time delay”.
McCann, 36, of no fixed address, was convicted in his absence last year of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal on May 28.
He has now received a 17-week jail term after deciding against having the case reopened when he eventually appeared before magistrates earlier this month.
South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told that the attack happened days after the non-poisonous constrictor allegedly attacked a second man.
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Hide AdStewart Haywood, prosecuting, said McCann was willing to fully take the blame after he was quizzed by RSPCA officers.
RSPCA Inspector Rachael Hurst, who launched the investigation into the attack, said: “No one seemed to own the snake or knew where he had come from but they believed he had been posted through the letterbox
“He had been in the porch for a few days and nobody had mentioned it or attempted to move him.”
A veterinary report concluded: "If this wound was inflicted without further attention, and the snake left impaled to the floor, this would have resulted in pain, stress and suffering on the animal.
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Hide Ad"This wound alone would not be expected to cause death without a significant time delay.”
Following the court sentence, Inspector Hurst condemned the “unacceptable” attack and added: “This poor snake was already in a poor condition and was likely extremely frightened and confused.
"He needed help but, instead, was viciously attacked, seriously injured and left to die, as vets suspect, a long and slow death.”
McCann, who claimed he did not receive his original court summons, was also disqualified from owning, keeping or transporting all animals for 10 years and ordered to pay a £128 victim surcharge.
