A case has been dropped against a man accused of animal cruelty offences after roughly 20 cats were found dead in north London.
Members of the public alerted police in September after a number of pets were found dead in public spaces surrounding the Pleydell Estate, near Old Street, Islington.
David Avhanvhondo, 56, was stopped and arrested by undercover officers deployed to the area to conduct overnight patrols, at around 4am on February 12, following a five-month investigation.
Avhanvhondo, of King Square, Barbican, appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court the following day charged with causing unnecessary suffering and carrying out a prohibited procedure on a protected animal.
He entered not guilty pleas to both offences, at London’s Highbury Magistrates’ Court.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has now said the case against him, which was heard on Friday at the same court, has been discontinued because it no longer met the CPS’ legal test.
The Metropolitan Police said in February 20 dead cats had been identified in its probe so far, but that police believed the number could double to around 40.
