COFFS Harbour man Phil Tripp has been sentenced after pleading guilty to drowning a cat in a garbage bin.

Mr Tripp was charged in July after Police were notified about a social media post relating to the incident.

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Mr Tripp has been sentenced to a nine month intensive corrections order and 100 hours community service.

Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst has described the sentence as “pathetic”, and says it is a “wake up call” to review the criminal justice system.

“This man is a danger to the community.

“This shocking ruling fails to recognise the seriousness of his crime.

“Drowning an animal to death is cruel and unforgivable, and it deserves more than a slap on the wrist.

“Mr Tripp caused extreme stress, pain, suffering and anxiety to an animal in what can only be described as a horrific act of violence,” said Emma Hurst.

“The justice system needs an urgent overhaul on how it deals with cases of animal cruelty.

“Despite a large increase in penalties introduced in NSW this year, the courts are still failing to recognize animal cruelty as the serious crime it is.”

Earlier this year, the Animal Justice Party passed amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 that impose automatic lifetime animal bans for anyone charged for serious animal cruelty offences.

It is believed Mr Tripp will be one of the first people in NSW to have an automatic lifetime animal ban following the introduction of the new laws.

In a statement issued to News Of The Area in July, Mr Tripp said, “It is with great contrition, shame and guilt that I share this incident with you.

“It revolves around an allegation that I did in fact trap and capture what I believed was a feral cat on my property, there having been many others that have ravaged bird life, slaughtered small mammals, savaged all other sorts of wildlife, little marsupials, reptiles and amphibians.

“It is alleged that I quickly and humanely euthanized it by a ten second drowning.

“For the past 20 years living here, I have created a refuge of sorts on my two hectares with extensive native plants for the families of animals that inhabit it.

“And each year, more and more cats invade here and it’s heartbreaking to find nests of dead babies and their shredded parents from a previous night’s carnage.”