Man found naked over mutilated kitten bailed after sentence delayed despite mental health fears

A SELF-confessed cat serial killer, who has also assaulted a person, has been released on conditional bail ahead of sentence, despite telling police he "had been doing it all his life but could not stop" and a psychiatrist expressing concerns he may need to be detained under a hospital order.

Police found Lewis Carney, 21, naked, except for a pair of trainers, in a park standing over a kitten he had killed and mutilated, Willesden Magistrates' Court heard this month. Officers attended after being called about a naked man in a park wearing just trainers. They found next to him the body of a mutilated kitten. It was lying on its back and its stomach was vertically open with its intestines pulled out and in a length across the grass. Next to it was a paper cup and in it were two kidneys and an eyeball. Today at Harrow Crown Court Recorder Leo Seelig said: "What is troubling me is the defendant's remand status. "He is now in breach of a six-month suspended sentence, but in any event it strikes me he poses a risk in terms of committing further offences. "I am concerned that the defendant poses a risk in so far as there are substantial grounds for fearing he will commit further offences." However, Gemma Noble, representing the CPS today said she had been given no instructions in terms of his bail. After hearing that he is living a house in Harrow, west London, converted into a specialist mental health care home with 24-hour supervision, there have been no bail issues since September 6, and that he receives monthly injections, oral medication and his under a very strict care in the community plan, he agreed to bail but with tougher conditions than those imposed at the lower court. He cannot leave the property with a carer to supervise him and he is under an electronically-monitored curfew from 8pm to 8am. He also must not be in possession or control of any animals at any time due to ongoing fears in respect of harm to living creatures, and must cooperate with medics who assess him for the court. Recorder Seelig added: "I am very much of the view at moment that the court needs an expert psychiatric opinion on whether or not a hospital order with or without restrictions is appropriate or a guardianship order. He ordered a full psychiatric assessment of Carney to assess the appropriate sentence and whether he could remain on bail as the court heard that one psychiatrist had suggested he may need to be detained under a hospital order. Earlier in the hearing Recorder Seelig had suggested two doctors should assess him. Carney was told he could face jail or some other criminal sentence or a hospital order depending on what experts concluded. A mental health assessment was ordered at a hearing at Willesden Magistrates' Court on September 6, but it had not been completed. He had also been given less stringent bail conditions at that hearing with no electronic monitoring and no requirement to be accompanied by a carer outside the property. At the earlier hearing prosecuting, Siobhan O’ Shaughnessy, outlined the circumstances of the offence. She said: "He said to police at the scene that he had bought the kitten and he was very sorry but that he had been doing it since he was a child and could not help it." Checks by a vet found it was six months old and it had no chip. The injuries were not caused by another animal and had been done by a human. The man was arrested by police and later detained under the Mental Health Act, however, he was later released into care in the community. At an earlier hearing at the same court he indicated a guilty plea to one count of causing unnecessary suffering to the animal on July 25 this year. He also admitted a second charge that on the same date at the London Borough of Harrow he caused unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, namely a cat, by an act, namely disembowelment, removal of kidneys and an eye ball. Ms O’ Shaughnessy said the offences should only be dealt with at crown court due to his high culpability and the prolonged suffering the animal faced. She will also apply for him to be disqualified from ever owning any animals. He will also face a suspended prison sentence being activated as the offences were committed while he was under an 18-month suspended prison sentence for an earlier assault on a person which was issued by Harrow Crown Court on March 25 this year. The court heard he has significant mental health issues and is living in the specialist mental health care accommodation. Today, (Sep 27), the court heard he has a number of mental health issues, including OCD, pervasive development disorder and psychosis, with major concerns around animals. A Met Police spokesman said: "We were called to Alexandra Park Harrow at 12:47am on 25 July to reports of a naked man playing with something on the ground. "It would appear he was detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act by police and taken to hospital, then later released awaiting care from mental health services."

A CPS spokesman said: “We take these matters extremely seriously and treat every case on its facts and circumstances.

“By the time of Lewis Carney’s first appearance his circumstances had changed significantly including being in new secure accommodation with 24 hour care staff.

“Along with these there were also bail conditions and there is no suggestion he reoffended while on bail."

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