John Lanyon Sampson appears at Truro Magistrates' Court

John Lanyon Sampson, 55, who lives on a farm in St Buryan, appeared at Truro Magistrates’ Court on July 22 charged with criminal damage and being the owner/person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control in a private or public place.

The full charges read that on March 6, 2021 at Madron in the county of Cornwall without lawful excuse, destroyed Mini the cat to the value of unknown belonging to Carly Jose intending to destroy or damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be destroyed or damaged.

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On March 6, 2021 at Madron in the county of Cornwall were in charge of a dog, namely hunting hounds, which was dangerously out of control in Trafalgar Fields Contrary to section 3(1) and (4) of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991

Rescue tortoiseshell, Mini, belonging Miss Jose was killed outside her home in west Cornwall on the day in question by the dogs being exercised by Mr Sampson.

Mini was from a rescue charity and set at a value of around £150

When the two charges were put to Sampson he pleaded not guilty to both of them.

Mr Sampson's solicitor, Mr Gill, told Truro magistrates his client did not deny that the dogs killed the cat but says it was not intentional.

"There is no allegation he intentionally set out to kill a cat using a dog," said Mr Gill. "As to recklessness it is a subjective test, he did not perceive there was a risk.

"He denies the dogs were dangerously out of control. It is not in dispute my client was in control of a pack of dogs being exercised and some of the hounds broke off and a cat was sadly and unfortunately killed.

"The basis of the defence under the dangerous dog act is that the dogs were not dangerously out of control in terms of the legal sense of that."

The case was adjourned for trial at Truro Magistrates's Court to October 8.