A man who is serving a 14-month jail term for abusing cats and killing two of them by throwing them off high floors at Housing Board blocks had his sentence nearly doubled to 27 months by the High Court on July 9.
The increase in the sentence for Barrie Lin Pengli, 33, came after the prosecution appealed against the initial sentence that was imposed by a district judge in February.
In allowing the prosecution’s appeal, Justice Vincent Hoong said Lin’s acts of inflicting violence on animals for his perverse pleasure were among the most heinous cases of animal cruelty to come before the courts.
The judge said Lin had specifically sought out the cats, targeting the Ang Mo Kio HDB estate because he knew that community cats roamed the area.
He also noted that Lin tried to hide evidence of his offences by disposing of the cats’ carcasses in locations away from the crime scenes.
Justice Hoong said the district judge was wrong to have treated Lin’s major depressive disorder as a significant mitigating factor.
Lin’s depression did not affect his ability to exercise self-control or understand the nature and wrongfulness of his actions, according to Justice Hoong.
He said that given the continued prevalence – and potential increase – of animal cruelty and welfare cases, the courts must give greater weight to deterrence in sentencing.
In 2014, Parliament strengthened the legislation by increasing the maximum sentence from a $10,000 fine and a year’s jail to a $15,000 fine and 18 months’ jail.
However, the number of animal cruelty and welfare cases has remained high over the years, Justice Hoong noted.
From 2019 to 2023, the National Parks Board investigated an annual average of about 1,200 alleged animal cruelty and welfare cases.
The judge said one potential reason why would-be offenders have not been deterred by the tougher penalties was that the sentences handed down have not been deterrent enough.
He noted that animals constitute a vulnerable class of victims.
“When illicit harm has been inflicted on them, they are unable to alert the authorities, avail themselves of legal recourse, or speak out for themselves,” said the judge.
Speaking for an hour, Justice Hoong concluded by quoting the words of India’s independence hero Mahatma Gandhi: The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
The judge said his decision sends a clear message: “Animal cruelty has no place in a just and humane society and will be met with the full force of the law.”
Between 2019 and 2020, Lin abused cats as a way of handling his emotional distress.
Initially, he lashed out at the cats by kicking them, but the abuse escalated to abducting cats by putting them into small resealable bags.
Cats in these bags would struggle to breathe, experiencing pain and suffering, Deputy Public Prosecutor Isaac Tan said in his submissions.
Lin abducted one to three cats at a time, releasing some and killing others.
On April 21, 2020, at about 3.30am, he caught a cat at Block 572 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3.
He dangled the cat over the parapet on the 12th floor to frighten it and then dropped it, with the animal plummeting to the ground.
After disposing of the carcass, he abducted another cat at Block 207 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 on the same day, and stuffed it into a small waterproof bag before releasing it.
On May 15, 2020, at about 3.30am, Lin caught a cat and carried it up to the eighth floor of Block 645 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6.
He again dangled the feline over the parapet and dropped it.
The cat survived the fall, but Lin brutally stomped on its neck, killing it.
An eyewitness called the police, leading to Lin’s arrest and the retrieval of the dead cat from a dustbin where he had thrown it.
Lin was then released on bail. He was later diagnosed with major depressive disorder and his symptoms improved after treatment.
On Dec 26, 2021, after hosting a Christmas gathering at his home, Lin returned to Block 645 to “test” if he could control his urge to hurt cats.
He picked up a cat and forcefully slammed it against a wall twice.
The injured cat was later found by community cat feeders. It went through several medical procedures and was hospitalised for 14 days.
Lin pleaded guilty in October 2024 to three counts of animal cruelty.
Besides the 14-month jail term, he was also banned from owning any animal for a year after his release from prison.
On July 9, DPP Tan argued for a jail term of two years – the same sentence that the prosecution had sought before the district judge.
Lin’s lawyer, Mr Azri Imran Tan, acknowledged that his client’s actions were reprehensible.
He noted the case caused a public outcry but contended that the appeal should not turn on “emotional gravitas”.
In a statement after the appeal verdict, the National Parks Board (NParks) said it takes all cases relating to animal cruelty and welfare seriously.
NParks’ Animal and Veterinary Service will continue to work closely with the community to safeguard animal welfare, it said.
Selina Lum for The Straits Times
Jail term doubled for man who killed cats by throwing them off HDB blocks
