REECE CONEY BRIDGWATER CAT TRAGEDY IN VILE REVENGE ATTACK AT TAUNTON CROWN COURT

In April 2021, a disturbing case unfolded involving Reece Coney, a 21-year-old resident of Wye Avenue in Bridgwater, who carried out a heinous act of cruelty against his former partner’s pet cat. The incident, which took place in the car park of an Asda supermarket in Bridgwater, culminated in a malicious and targeted attack that shocked the local community and drew the attention of the courts.

According to court proceedings, Coney spotted the cat, named Pedro, in the vehicle while he was in the Asda parking lot. Demonstrating a deliberate intent to cause harm, he took the animal from the scene and transported it to the remote and scenic area of the Quantock Hills. There, he placed the defenseless pet inside a shopping bag and subjected it to a brutal assault, repeatedly stamping on the animal in a cruel act of revenge. The judge at Taunton Crown Court described the attack as “absolutely disgraceful,” emphasizing that it was a malicious and deliberate act designed to inflict distress on his ex-partner.

Prosecutor Ms. Lucy Taylor provided background details, revealing that Coney, who works as a delivery driver, had been in a relationship with a woman who owned Pedro. Following their breakup, the woman left the cat in the care of a relative. However, when she returned to check on Pedro, she was devastated to learn that the animal had gone missing. She took proactive steps by printing posters and posting them around the neighborhood in hopes of finding her beloved pet, but her efforts proved unsuccessful.

Six months later, in November 2019, she received a distressing message from Coney’s current partner, informing her that Coney had killed Pedro. The message detailed that Coney had strangled the cat and then stamped on it. The woman recounted that Coney had seen Pedro in the footwell of a car at Asda and had taken the animal with him. He allegedly instructed his partner to drive to Cheddar with the intention of throwing the cat off the cliffs there. Out of fear, she refused to go to Cheddar but agreed to drive to the Quantock Hills instead. Once there, Coney took the cat outside and killed it with his foot, then buried the animal’s remains in some weeds, from which the pet was never recovered.

Further evidence revealed that Coney attempted to manipulate his ex-partner by messaging her in an effort 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 calculated act of revenge targeting his ex-partner’s property, which in this case was her pet cat.

During proceedings, Coney pleaded guilty to the charge of criminal damage, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of three months in prison. When initially questioned by police, he falsely claimed that his latest partner had taken the cat and that he had simply released it into the wild. The defense argued that Coney was motivated by a fear of imprisonment.

Judge James Townsend, presiding over the case at Taunton Crown Court, decided that Coney would not serve time behind bars. Instead, he was sentenced to a 12-month community order, which includes 60 hours of unpaid work. Additionally, Coney was ordered to pay £600 in compensation to the owner of Pedro. The court also mandated 20 days of rehabilitation to address his behavior and imposed an additional £200 in court costs, emphasizing the seriousness of the crime and the need for behavioral intervention.