Crime revolted Toronto

by Philip Lee-Shanok, Toronto Sun

It was one of the most notorious trials of the year, rivalling the Randal Dooley murder trial for public outrage, and the victim wasn't even human.

The mutilation murder of Kensington the stray cat by three young sadists, who went to the trouble of videotaping the act, outraged animal lovers. And then came the punishment.

Hanged animal

Jesse Champlain Power, 22, of Quebec and Anthony Wennekers, 25, of Alberta pleaded guilty to mischief and cruelty to animals. A 17-minute video played in court showed Power and Wenneker and a third man hanging the cat by a phone cord, then punching and kicking her before gutting and skinning her alive.

Judge Edward Ormston sentenced Power to a 90-day jail term to be served on weekends, and Wennekers to the 10 months he had already served while awaiting trial.

"I couldn't believe it," said Suzanne Lahaie of Kensington Market Stray Cat Rescue. "People got angry and called the attorney general to complain."

Sentence appealed

Crown attorney Robin Flumerfelt had argued for a 30-month sentence for Power. An appeal of his sentence will be heard as early as March. Lahaie also plans a memorial for Kensington some time in the new year.

In the meantime, the search for the third man, only known as Matt, continues with a $10,000 reward offered by the Humane Society to help jog people's memories.

Matt, who Lahaie believes is panhandling in Montreal, appears in the snuff video wearing a hooded black sweatshirt with "Legalize murder" written on the back.

No last name

"The police need a last name," she said, adding Wennekers and Power have offered little help to police.

Animal rights activists also argue the case highlights the need for the penalty for cruelty to animals, unchanged since the 1890s, to be updated. Currently the maximum penalty is six months in jail. If passed, Bill C-15, which is still before Parliament, would increase the maximum penalty under the Criminal Code to five years.