Drug addict goaded to cut up and EAT pet hamster jailed for a year

Drug addict who was goaded by laughing onlookers to cut up and EAT her pet hamster ‘Mr Nibbles’ in stomach-churning video is jailed for a year

• GRAPHIC CONTENT: Emma Parker, 39, was filmed in two separate videos
• She cut her hamster in half while it was still alive, and was then filmed eating it

A woman who was filmed as she cut up and then ate her pet hamster called Mr Nibbles was jailed yesterday jailed for 12 months.

Footage of the attack carried out by Emma Parker, 39, was shared online, prompting a warning from shocked RSPCA inspectors.

Two videos filmed at Parker’s home were sent to the RSPCA by a concerned member of the public, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

The first video was 27 seconds long and showed Parker repeatedly prodding a large knife into a hamster ball containing Mr Nibbles and then cutting the still alive animal in half.

A second video showed Parker holding a bottle of water and then eating the two disected halves of the now dead hamster, the court was told.

Footage of the attack carried out by Emma Parker, 39, was shared online, prompting a warning from shocked RSPCA inspectors

Parker, 39, ate the hamster after cutting it in two while it was still alive – following attempts to stab it

Gordon Holt, prosecuting, said: ‘The two videos seen on social media showed the defendant with a hamster in a hamster ball.

‘The defendant is holding the ball with a knife in the other hand .

‘She takes the knife and plunges it through the opening of the ball moving the knife from side to side.

‘A spectator is heard laughing and says ‘you are a sick b******* you are.’

‘The hamster can be heard repeatedly squealing, it is allowed to escape and runs around a while.

‘The defendant attempts to strike it with the knife, succesfully at least once.

‘She pinches its neck to keep it still.

‘It is still alive and she uses the knife in a chopping and sawing motion over the middle of the hamster’s body.

‘In the second video the defendant eats the two halves of the disected body.’

During police interview Parker, of Great Gonerby, Lincolnshire, admitted the video was of her and claimed she was helping the hamster to die after it had been bitten by one of her dogs earlier in the day.

Parker said the incident took place at her home last May, but refused to name those filming the footage, telling police ‘they are not nice people.’

A vet with 27 years’ experience who watched the footage described the content as deeply disturbing and said Mr Nibbles would have suffered both physical and psychological damage as hamsters are prey animals which can feel fear.

The vet added that she had never heard a hamster squeal like Mr Nibbles did during the whole of her career.

Parker admitted one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

The court heard Parker had been made the subject of community orders in both 2021 and 2022 for offences of shoplifting, and had a long history of addiction to Class A drugs.

Chris Brewin, mitigating, said Parker had been targeted as a result of the video, with her home vandalised and dog faeces put through the letter box.

The court was told Parker had been ‘cuckooed’ by a drug dealer who lived nearby and was under instruction when she filmed the videos. In one of the clips, a woman who is off-camera can be heard laughing as Parker devours the rodent.

Parker appeared to be being filmed out of a car window as she ate the hamster on footage shared online

Passing sentence Judge James House KC told Parker, who has since suffered burns in a car accident, he had to take into account that Parliament had recently raised the maximum sentence for such animal cruelty from six months to five years imprisonment.

Judge House said it was ‘abhorrent’ that violence had been inflicted on a defenceless animal for others’ entertainment.

‘The hamster was injured at least twice and then while still alive cut in half,’ Judge House said.

The judge banned Parker from keeping animals for 15 years after telling her he regarded her cruelty as ‘serious as could be.’

Speaking after the case, RSPCA inspector Andy Bostock said: ‘We share the public’s revulsion at this horrific incident and we’d like to thank the police for their support in this investigation.

‘This type of cruelty has no place in today’s society and was a heartless vicious attack on a defenseless animal.

‘It has been upsetting and disturbing for everyone who has been involved in this case.’

After the RSPCA first became aware of the video a spokesperson said: ‘This is an extremely upsetting video and we’d like to reassure the public that we are investigating and working closely with the police.

‘Please do not share it or comment on it as it increases the chances of other people seeing it and being distressed.’

Two dogs were also removed from Parker’s home.

Lincolnshire Police confirmed they arrested a woman on June 23 following the investigation by the RSPCA.

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