Drug-addict mum jailed for eating daughter’s pet hamster Mr Nibbles in disgusting video
A drug-addict mum has been jailed over an “extremely upsetting” act with her daughter’s hamster that left a vet stunned. WARNING: Distressing
Animals
Don't miss out on the headlines from Animals. Followed categories will be added to My News.
WARNING: Distressing
A drug-addict mum in the UK has been jailed for a year after she ate her daughter’s pet hamster.
Emma Parker, 39, was seen cutting up the live pet before eating it in horrifying videos shared online, The Sun reports.
Two shocking clips were sent to the RSPCA by a disgusted member of the public, Lincoln Crown Court heard.
The first 27-second long video showed Parker repeatedly prodding a large knife into a hamster ball containing Mr Nibbles and then cutting the still alive animal in half.
A second video showed Parker holding a bottle of water and then eating the two dissected halves of the now-dead hamster, the court was told.
“The two videos seen on social media showed the defendant with a hamster in a hamster ball,” said prosecutor Gordon Holt.
“The defendant is holding the ball with a knife in the other hand.
“She takes the knife and plunges it through the opening of the ball moving the knife from side to side.
“A spectator is heard laughing and says ‘you are a sick bastard you are’.
“The hamster can be heard repeatedly squealing, it is allowed to escape and runs around a while.
“The defendant attempts to strike it with the knife, successfully at least once.
“She pinches its neck to keep it still.
“It’s still alive and she uses the knife in a chopping and sawing motion over the middle of the hamster’s body.
“In the second video the defendant eats the two halves of the dissected body.”
During a police interview Parker admitted the video was her and claimed she was helping the hamster to die after it had been bitten by one of her dogs earlier in the day.
Parker said the incident took part at her home in mid-May, but refused to name those filming the footage, telling police “they are not nice people”.
A vet with 27 years of experience who watched the footage described the content as deeply disturbing and said Mr Nibbles would have suffered both physical and psychological damage as hamsters are prey animals that can feel fear.
The vet added that she had never heard a hamster squeal like Mr Nibbles did during the whole of her career.
Parker, of Belvoir Gardens, Great Gonerby, Lincolnshire in the east of England, admitted one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
The court heard Parker had been made the subject of community orders in both 2021 and 2022 for offences of shoplifting, and had a long history of addiction to Class A drugs.
In the UK, Class A drugs include heroin, cocaine, crystal meth and ecstasy.
Chris Brewin, mitigating, said Parker had been targeted as a result of the video, with her home vandalised and dog faeces put through the letter box.
The court was told Parker had been “cuckooed” by a drug dealer who lived nearby and was under instruction when she filmed the videos.
Mr Brewin said Parker had also been involved in a recent car crash which left her with burns.
Passing sentence Judge James House KC told Parker he had to take into account that parliament had recently raised the maximum sentence for such animal cruelty from six months to five years imprisonment.
Judge House said it was “abhorrent” that violence had been inflicted on a defenceless animal for others’ entertainment.
“The hamster was injured at least twice and then while still alive cut in half,” Judge House said.
“You are then seen holding a bottle of water and then eating the two halves of the dissected hamster.
“What is notable from her interview is the refusal to name who else is present and who is videoing the footage.”
Judge House also banned Parker from keeping animals for 15 years after telling her he regarded her cruelty as “serious as could be”.
After the RSPCA became aware of the video a spokesperson said, “This is an extremely upsetting video and we’d like to reassure the public that we are investigating and working closely with the police. Please do not share it or comment on it as it increases the chances of other people seeing it and being distressed.”
Two dogs were also removed from Parker’s home.
Lincolnshire Police confirmed they arrested a woman on June 23 following the investigation by the RSPCA.
This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission
Originally published as Drug-addict mum jailed for eating daughter’s pet hamster Mr Nibbles in disgusting video