Jealous boyfriend released lover's hamster after she admitted preferring the pet to him

A man whose girlfriend told him she loved her hamster more than him broke into her flat and released the animal. Andrew Walsh, 30, released Harry the hamster from his cage after his girlfriend admitted she loved Harry more than him. Walsh, of Blackpool, Lancashire, planned his revenge on the pet and broke into Julie Hanson’s flat to “give Harry his freedom”, Blackpool Magistrates Court heard.

He broke into his girlfriend's home when he knew she was staying with her mum after playing bingo. Walsh broke her front door down and then opened the door to Harry's cage before leaving with the TV set. Ms Hanson discovered the burglary when she returned the following day and found that Harry was missing.



Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said: "Walsh had repeatedly asked Julie Hanson to re-kindle their relationship. When he saw her at bingo she told him she was to stay at her mum's that night. The next day she found her front door broken in and the door to her hamster's cage was open. The hamster was missing and it is the Crown's case that Walsh was very much aware that she loved the hamster and had a strong emotional tie to the animal which Walsh did not like.

"She was very upset. When Walsh was arrested he told police he had opened the cage door to give Harry his freedom." Robert Castle, defending, said: "I am delighted to say the hamster has now been found. He was hiding under a rug and is safe and well." Walsh who admitted burglary was ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work, pay £85 costs and £60 victims' surcharge.