A woman who was caught on CCTV dumping a cat in a wheelie bin has admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the animal.

Mary Bale, 45, from St Michael's Road, Coventry, was filmed in August stroking the four-year-old tabby before picking it up by the scruff of its neck and dropping it into the bin.

The bank worker admitted the charge of causing unnecessary suffering when she appeared at court. She has been fined £250 and banned from keeping pets for five years.

A second charge of failing to provide the cat with a suitable environment, contrary to the 2006 Animal Welfare Act, was dropped.

Mary Bale became an global hate figure after the CCTV clip of her was posted on the internet.

The cat was trapped in the bin for approximately 15 hours. At no point did she return.