A sadistic teenager with 'psychopathic traits' and 'far right beliefs' stole 10 cats from a sanctuary for his dogs to hunt and kill.
Frank Lewis, 18, was branded 'pure evil' by the animal centre's founder over the sickening crime, which came just weeks after he stabbed a sheep, hung it in a tree and hacked off its head with a machete, the court heard.
The teen was sentenced to 30 months in a young offender institution for targeting the Ty Nant Cat Sanctuary in Cymmer, South Wales, in July last year after cutting a hole in a wire fence.
Three cats were later found mauled to death and four were found alive, but three are still missing and presumed dead, reports the South Wales Evening Post.
Georgina Buckley, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that Lewis "had used the cats for sport" for his dogs to hunt and kill.
She said the dead cats had been killed by a carnivore – most likely a dog – and that one of them had a leg slashed with a knife "to impede the escape of the animal".
The court heard that two weeks before the July 30 break-in, Lewis and another man had stabbed a sheep in the neck, dragged the animal into nearby woods, and strung it up in a tree before cutting its head off with a machete.
He then posed for pictures with the mutilated sheep which he put on Facebook.
The thug was on a referral order for that offence when he broke into Ty Nant.
Lewis, from nearby Croeserw, admitted burglary and criminal damage.
Judge Paul Thomas QC asked Miss Buckley why animal cruelty charges had not been brought.
The barrister said charges under the Animal Welfare Act were summary-only, and could only be tried at a magistrates' court.
A victim impact statement from Teresa Ahmad, founder and owner of the sanctuary, was read to the court.
She said the horrifying crime had left her "a changed person", haunted by what had happened to the cats she cared for.
Ms Ahmad said she felt guilty that she had not been able to keep the cats safe, and she branded Lewis "pure evil".
Dan Herd, defending Lewis, said his client accepted responsibility for the burglary and the death of the cats.
He said a psychiatric report into the defendant concluded he had "an emerging personality disorder with psychopathic traits", and was also working with the Home Office's Channel project to try to address his "far-right extreme beliefs".
Judge Thomas told Lewis that he had used the cats as "bait" for his trained hunting dogs, describing his actions as "acts of cruelty amounting to sadism".
The judge said he had read the psychiatric report on Lewis and found references to Lewis's far-right extreme views on race and sexuality "chilling".
A 15-year-old who aided Lewis on the cat sanctuary raid was already the subject of a nine-month referral order and a nighttime curfew after admitting burglary at an earlier hearing.
Outside court, South Wales Police Inspector Tim Hopkins said: "This was a particularly awful crime against defenceless cats.
"The outpouring of emotion from the local community – and on social media from across the world – highlights the impact of Frank Lewis' heinous actions.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the local community for their support during this investigation, which resulted in the two males involved being brought before the courts.
"Thanks to a thorough investigation, and along with today's outcome, it sends out a clear message that South Wales Police takes all crimes seriously and will ensure that offenders will be brought to justice."