by Aline Nassif

aline.nassif@essnmedia.co.uk

A man who failed to spot his cat's face had eroded so badly its nose was missing claims the decision to prosecute him was a "load of rubbish".

Michael Barnes and wife Diane were found guilty last Friday of allowing Ginger, a 10-year-old tom cat, to be subjected to unnecessary suffering.

The New Addington couple, both 63, adopted the stray cat five years ago, shortly after their former black cat Sammy died.

But last summer they passed off a rare flesh-eating skin disease that developed into cancer as a "scab", and the animal had to be put down.

After being found guilty at Croydon Magistrates' Court Mr Barnes remained defiant, calling the £1,430 in fines and compensation imposed by magistrates "daylight robbery".

He maintains that he and his wife "never hurt the cat on purpose".

"We love animals and we took in that stray because it sort of adopted us and wanted to be fed," he said.

"I can't believe we're being punished for looking after an animal that wasn't ours to start with, out of the goodness of our hearts.

"We genuinely thought the problem with its face was a scab from fighting other cats.

"There's no way either me or my wife would willfully try to harm an animal. We've had pets all our lives and we've never had any problems before."

It was the first time either Mr Barnes or his wife had ever been in court.

"It's been the most degrading and humiliating experience ever and it has really affected our health," former surveyor Mr Barnes said.

"The courts and the RSPCA have done us a great injustice. They are just out to get every penny they can.

"I'm disgusted that our good name has been muddied over something we never intended to do."

The couple are now banned from keeping animals for five years.

Although Mr Barnes is protesting their innocence, RSPCA inspector Lynn Marshall says it was the "worst case" of animal cruelty she has ever seen.

She visited their home in Gascoigne Road on July 22 last year after a concerned member of the public reported "a cat with a hole in its face".

"The cat was obviously in a lot of pain and suffered," Miss Marshall said.

Ginger was found to have the rare skin condition Bowen's disease which developed into cancer.

By the time it reached vet Sarah Pitt-Bailey's operating table, there was no option but to put him down.

When sentencing them, chairman of the bench Ray Stibbards said: "The vet should have been seen earlier when treatment should have been given. It should have been obvious."

The couple were each fined £150 for the offence, ordered to pay £550 compensation to the RSPCA and a £15 victim surcharge.