By Tom Wilkinson, Press Association
A man who was filmed on a mobile phone forcing a cat to inhale cannabis before swinging it round his head like a lasso was banned from keeping animals for 10 years today.
Jobless Mark Kane, 20, was handed a 12-week jail sentence, suspended for two years, for his "appalling" cruelty by South Tyneside Magistrates.
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The attack - described by the prosecution as "vile" - was carried out at his South Shields home in January, filmed on his mobile phone and later uncovered by police investigating another matter.
On the short video clip a voice could be heard, in between laughter, shouting: "This cat is getting stoned off its head" and "Get him stoned to f***."
Kane admitted two counts of animal cruelty at a previous hearing.
Ken Buck, chairman of the bench, sentenced Kane, saying: "We do think the charges of animal cruelty are appalling in nature and caused real stress and unnecessary suffering to a domestic pet which was in your care."
Clive McKeag, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told the court: "This was a vile offence."
He described how Kane got the cat, put it in a draw-string bag and then blew cannabis smoke into it.
Kane then swung the bag around his head.
Since the incident the cat has disappeared, the court heard. Kane told police he was looking after it, although it did not belong to him.
Mr McKeag said: "The cat was obviously terrified and wouldn't appreciate what is happening and it would be an extremely cruel thing for him to do."
Magistrates ordered Kane, of St Aidan's Court, to pay £100 towards the RSPCA costs and was banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
Outside court, RSPCA inspector Claire Hunt said: "He had a complete disregard for this animal's welfare.
"He thought it was a funny thing to do to a defenceless animal."
She was pleased with the sentence, adding: "It deters people from doing the same thing."
A 19 year old from South Tyneside, England has been banned from looking after animals after stealing a cat and forcing it to inhale cannabis.

Mark Kane, from South Shields, England, was banned from looking after animals for 10 years after causing "unnecessary suffering" to a tabby cat in January 2009. Kane was originally sentenced to three months in jail which was suspended two years. Kane also has to pay £100 (US$167) in fines.

Kane had stolen the cat from a friend of his girlfriend. A mobile phone camera recorded the incident and showed Kane putting the cat into a bag, inhaling some cannabis and blowing it into the bag. He then swung the bag around his head in a similar fashion to a lasso. The cat survived the attack but it ran off afterwards and has yet to have been found. During the video Kane is quoted as saying "This cat is getting stoned off its head" and "Get it stoned to fuck".

Kane was prosecuted by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in a court in South Shields. He was found guilty and sentenced to twelve weeks in prison, two years suspension and a ten year ban from looking after animals as well as being ordered to pay £100 costs. In a previous court hearing, Kane had also admitted two counts of cruelty to animals.

Chairman of the Bench Ken Buck said, "We do think the charges of animal cruelty are appalling in nature and caused real stress and unnecessary suffering to a domestic pet which was in your care." Clive McKeag, who was prosecuting Kane on behalf of the RSPCA described the attack as "sadistic and wicked" and stated: "This was a vile offence."

In regards to the case, RSPCA inspector Claire Hunt said, "He thought it was a funny thing to do to a defenseless animal." Claire also stated that she was happy with Kane's sentencing saying, "It deters people from doing the same thing."