Ipswich teen convicted of stabbing hedgehog to death in his back garden

An 18-year-old killed a hedgehog by stabbing it three times after allegedly hitting it with a brick in what the RSPCA has described as an “abhorrent act of senseless cruelty”.

Tyler Perkins, of Croft Street, Ipswich, was found guilty in his absence by Ipswich magistrates this afternoon of intentionally inflicting unnecessary suffering to a wild animal.

Perkins was also convicted of a second charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

The teenager had failed to turn up to court to answer a summons which was issued last month

Prosecutor Hugh Rowland said the offence occurred in the early hours of September 9 in the back garden of the property where Perkins lived. The killing was witnessed by his support worker.

The court heard Perkins had subsequently told an RSPCA inspector he was drunk at the time.

During his interview Perkins denied hitting the hedgehog with a brick, but admitted stabbing it three times with a knife he got from the kitchen of the property where he lived.

Perkins told the inspector he had become angry with the hedgehog when it kept returning to an area near his bike after he had moved it several times.

Mr Rowland said at the time of its death the hedgehog had curled up into a ball to protect itself.

After magistrates convicted Perkins they adjourned the case until January 3 for sentencing.

Following the hearing RSPCA inspector Natalie Bartle said: “This was an absolutely abhorrent act of senseless cruelty towards this hedgehog.”