Alleged Kelowna hamster torturer returns to court in August

The Kelowna man accused of torturing a hamster will be back before the courts Aug. 25.

Leighton Allen Labute, 20, was charged Friday with three counts of killing or injuring an animal and three counts of causing unnecessary pain/suffering to an animal.

A video depicting the torture and killing of three hamsters was recently posted on the social media platform Reddit, prompting the internet community to alert the police May 14, 2020, Kelowna RCMP said in a release. Following an investigation, Labute was charged May 22.

He was released on bail May 25. 

The incidents were alleged to occur on or around May 1, 2019.

Multiple social media accounts are linked to Labute, many of which display unusual clay creations of disturbing scenes.

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