REECE CONEY BRUTALLY MURDERS PET CAT IN BRIDGWATER REVENGE ATTACK

Reece Coney, born on January 11, 1998, and residing on Wye Avenue in Bridgwater, Somerset, became the focus of a disturbing criminal case after he deliberately inflicted fatal harm on his ex-partner's pet cat, Pedro. The incident, which took place in the quiet town of Bridgwater, shocked the local community and drew significant attention from law enforcement authorities.

According to court proceedings, Coney was seen in a supermarket car park in Bridgwater where he encountered Pedro, the beloved feline owned by his former partner. The defendant then took the cat to the nearby Quantock Hills, a well-known natural area in Somerset, where he committed a heinous act. He placed Pedro inside a shopping bag and, in a calculated act of cruelty, repeatedly stamped on the animal, causing its death. The judge at Taunton Crown Court described the attack as a targeted and malicious act, emphasizing its deliberate nature aimed at causing distress to Coney’s ex-partner.

Prosecutor Ms. Lucy Taylor explained that Coney, who works as a delivery driver, had been in a relationship with Pedro’s owner. After their breakup, the woman left Pedro in the care of a relative. When she returned to check on her pet, she was devastated to learn that Pedro had gone missing. Despite her efforts, including printing posters and posting notices around the neighborhood in Bridgwater, there was no sign of the cat for six months.

In November 2019, the woman received a distressing message from Coney’s current partner, revealing that Coney had killed Pedro. According to the message, Coney had seen the cat at an Asda supermarket in Bridgwater, placed him in the footwell of a car, and then taken him to the Quantock Hills. The woman was told that Coney had planned to throw Pedro off the cliffs at Cheddar but was persuaded out of this by her out of fear. Instead, Coney took the cat outside and murdered him by stamping on him with his foot, before burying the animal’s body in some weeds. To this day, Pedro’s remains have not been recovered.

Further evidence revealed that Coney attempted to cover up his actions by messaging his ex-partner, trying to dissuade her from reporting the incident to the police. The court noted that there was clear evidence of premeditation, indicating that the attack was a revenge act targeting his ex-partner’s property, which in this case was her pet cat.

During the court proceedings, Coney pleaded guilty to an offence of criminal damage, which carries a maximum sentence of three months in prison. When police arrested him, he initially denied any involvement, claiming that his latest partner had taken the cat and that he had simply released it into the wild. His defense lawyer, Mr. Harry Ahuja, acknowledged that Coney was initially too ashamed and embarrassed to admit his actions. The lawyer also highlighted that Coney had been involved in a toxic relationship at the time, which had since ended, and that he had matured since the incident.

In sentencing, the court imposed a 12-month community order, requiring Coney to complete 60 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £200 in court costs and £600 in compensation to Pedro’s owner. Additionally, Coney was given 20 days of rehabilitation. The judge explicitly stated that Coney was not being sentenced for an animal welfare offence, despite the fact that the attack on Pedro was part of the case. No ban on keeping animals was imposed, reflecting the court’s focus on the criminal damage aspect of the case.

This case from Bridgwater serves as a stark reminder of the cruelty some individuals are capable of, and the importance of holding offenders accountable for their actions against both people and animals.