THE RSPCA called in a ballistics expert to trap a Prestwich man who shot a cat.

Pensioner, William Sloane, 66, lied about owning a gun and taking a pot shot at a neighbour's pet, a Manchester court heard.

But when police searched his home in Highfield Place, Prestwich, they discovered an air rifle with telescopic lens, in the lounge.

RSPCA prosecutor David McCormick said several pellets were also found which were sent for forensic examination and they matched the one embedded in the cat's hind leg.

Sloane pleaded guilty to ill-treating the five year old cat called Smokey and was fined £500 plus £500 towards the cost of the prosecution.

The bench ordered him to pay £100 compensation to Smokey's owner to cover the cost of his operation.

Sloane told the police he had used the weapon for scaring off magpies and claimed the cat could have been behind a tree and he didn't see it.

Stan Sumara, defending, said Sloane was sorry for shooting the cat and police had confiscated the gun.

"My client was brought up on a farm in Northern Ireland where it is normal to have guns and shoot vermin".

"But he now lives in Prestwich where that kind of thing is not acceptable", added Mr Sumara.

Mr McCormick said Smokey had made a full recovery and told the bench it was an offence to shoot magpies who were protected by the Wildlife Act.