The kitten had an air gun pellet lodged in his skull

Debbie Brown, 18, of Cross Way, Crewe, was also ordered to do 200 hours community service after admitting causing unnecessary suffering.

She is one of six people charged over the incident which took place in Stoke-on-Trent in August last year.

The male, black kitten has since recovered and has been re-homed.

'Abhorrent act'

At an earlier hearing magistrates at Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, were shown mobile phone footage released by the RSPCA, showing the kitten been thrown up and down stairs in a house in Anchor Road, Longton.

The court heard the kitten was shot in the eye by the group on the same day.

Magistrate Lynda Berrington said: "No normal human being would commit such an abhorrent act against a defenceless animal."

Earlier, Richard Freeman, of no fixed abode, was given a community sentence and banned from keeping an animal for 10 years after admitting ill-treating the cat, which was eight-weeks old at the time.

A 16-year-old girl, who cannot be identified, has been given a 12-month referral order after admitting aiding and abetting the incident.

Two boys, aged 14 at the time, were sentenced on 8 June, to 12-month supervision orders after admitting the same offence.

And a warrant has been issued for a 22-year-old man who earlier failed to attend court over the matter.