A MAN who brutally killed his pet in front of horrified social workers when he was a teen has had an appeal to lift a life-time ban on keeping animals rejected.

Jordan Owen Cattrell killed a chinchilla and injured another at Geilsland Residential School in Beith in November 2011. The then-17-year-old brandished a chinchilla at an employee and placed care staff in a state of fear or alarm. He also seized hold of two chinchillas, brandished them at a staff member, squeezed them in his grip, crushing them, and threw them against a wall.

The teen was banned from keeping animals for life after appearing at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court.

Cattrell, now 23, returned to the court last week to have the ban removed.

Defence solicitor Mr Leon Kondol said that social work reports had shown an improvement in his client’s behaviour over the last 18 months and that while Cattrell’s offences were “certainly very serious”, he suggested the disqualification be lowered to five years.

But Sheriff Iona McDonald said: “Mr Cattrell, I remember this case well; it stuck in my mind due to the horror of it.

“The social worker has indicated that things have improved and that you are now holding yourself steady and you can function in the community. I appreciate it’s five years since I disqualified you but I have concerns.

“Your agent says there’s nothing analogous – there shouldn’t be because you’re disqualified from keeping animals. I would be looking at a period of about 10 years before I would consider. I appreciate that pets are useful if someone’s unwell and that owning a pet can be therapeutic but 18 months is not enough.”