Meows greet Catman in court; bail hearing delayed

by Sam Pazzano, Courts Bureau, The Toronto Sun, March 27, 2003

A former Toronto squeegee kid faced mischief charges in a courtroom packed with animal lovers yesterday in the brutal torture and slaying of a Kensington-area tabby cat.

As Matthew "Matt" Kaczorowski stood impassively and looked sheepish in court, an inmate shouted a feline call of "Meeeoooww" through the door where inmates are brought into the bail court.

Animal rights activists who packed the tiny courtroom looked on as the catcall sound lasted for several seconds.

The slightly-built Kaczorowski, 21, had his bail hearing postponed until tomorrow.

He is the third suspect in what Toronto Humane Society spokeswoman Amy White called, "one of the most gruesome cases" of animal cruelty witnessed in the city.

Toronto police brought Kaczorowski back from Vancouver two weeks ago yesterday.

"There's a recognized link between cruelty to animals and violence towards people," White told reporters.

Last April, Anthony Wennekers, 25, and Jesse Power, 22, pleaded guilty in connection with the incident and were sentenced on charges of mischief and animal cruelty.

Two years ago, police investigating calls from residents of a roominghouse near Queen St. W. and Bathurst St. discovered a video of the torture and skinning of a live tabby among 70 other videotapes.

A poster of "Kensington," which was named after its neighbourhood, and purple Forget-Me-Not flowers adorned the wall outside the Old City Hall courthouse.