‘Quintessence of animal cruelty’: Singapore court doubles cat killer’s sentence

The judge ruled his original sentence was too lenient given the ‘gruesome’ nature of his actions

A Singaporean man who pleaded guilty to killing multiple cats by hurling them from high-rise housing blocks has had his jail term nearly doubled after an appeal court ruled his initial sentence was too lenient given the cruelty of his actions.

Barrie Lin Pengli, 33, will now serve 27 months in prison – up from the original 14-month sentence handed down earlier this year – following a successful appeal by prosecutors who argued that the case warranted a far harsher penalty.

Lin had pleaded guilty in October to three counts of animal cruelty, with two additional charges taken into consideration. His offences, committed in the Ang Mo Kio housing estate between late 2019 and 2021, included suffocating cats in sealed bags, kicking them, and throwing two from high-rise public housing blocks. One cat was also stomped on while still alive.

At his initial sentencing in February, a district court judge cited Lin’s diagnosed depression and lack of re-offending since 2021 as mitigating factors. The court also imposed a one-year ban on animal ownership.

But prosecutors challenged the ruling, describing Lin’s actions as “heinous” and “cruel”, and arguing that the sentence failed to reflect the severity of the case.

“A mental condition cannot be a licence to harm others,” Second Chief Prosecutor Isaac Tan told the court, as quoted by CNA. “We need to send out a clear signal that animal abuse, particularly cases of repeated and heinous abuse to animals, will be [given] substantial terms of imprisonment.”

Delivering the appeal verdict on Wednesday, Justice Vincent Hoong agreed. He said Lin’s “violent and gruesome” acts were carried out for “perverse pleasure”, adding that it would not be an exaggeration to call it the “quintessence of animal cruelty”.

“Animal cruelty has no place in a just and humane society and will be met with the full force of the law,” the judge said, rejecting the argument that Lin’s mental health condition should significantly mitigate his sentence.

Justice Hoong also dismissed comparisons with other animal cruelty cases cited by the defence, asserting that Lin’s violence was not only intentional but also protracted and extreme.

The ruling comes amid a surge in public concern over animal welfare in Singapore, where reports of abuse reached a 12-year high in 2024, according to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Recent high-profile incidents – including a separate case in which a man sexually assaulted a neighbour’s cat – have prompted a national reckoning.

Under current laws, those convicted of animal cruelty face up to 18 months in jail or fines of up to S$15,000 (US$11,700), with harsher penalties for repeat offenders. A legislative review of the Animals and Birds Act is under way, with authorities saying revisions will incorporate feedback from stakeholder consultations.

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Activists and lawmakers have called for stiffer penalties, lifetime pet ownership bans for abusers, and more consistent enforcement. Petitions have drawn tens of thousands of signatures, and members of parliament have launched engagement sessions to gather public input on the issue.