A WALLASEY woman has been banned from keeping animals for three years after throwing a lizard from a window.

Kelly Smyth, 40, of Poulton Road was found guilty in her absence of two Animal Welfare Act offences at Wirral Magistrates' Court on Thursday October 25.

She was slapped with a 12-month community order including a 35-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, was fined £50 and ordered to pay £150 costs plus a £85 victim surcharge.

The court heard how Merseyside Police had attended the first floor flat on June 25 when Smyth told them she no longer wanted her pet dog.

Officers were concerned she would harm the pet so they led the dog away to their van.

As they took away the dog, they saw Smyth at her window and heard a 'loud slapping noise'.

They went to the area and found a blue-tongued skink frothing at the mouth on the pavement.

The blue-tongued skink died as a result of his injuries

Officers then rushed the reptile to a nearby vets but he had died on arrival.

The police then referred the case to the RSPCA.

RSPCA inspector Anthony Joynes, who investigated the case, said: “A post mortem revealed this poor skink had suffered a multitude of injuries after being thrown from the window including a broken back, haemorrhage to the brain and blood on the lungs.

“From the point of impact it took minutes to die and must have suffered terribly.

"It is awful that this pet was left to die in agony on the the cold, dark concrete of a pavement for no reason.

“The RSPCA take all cruelty cases involving all animals very seriously and we treat this act involving a small reptile the same as if it was a cat or a dog - as the pain and suffering would be the same.

“This case also acts as a reminder that exotic animals need specialist care and many people are unaware of how much of a commitment these animals are when they take them on as pets.”