Kelowna man pleads guilty to torturing hamsters

A young Kelowna man will undergo a psychiatric assessment before being sentenced for killing and torturing two hamsters in May, 2020.

Leighton Labute, born in 1999, pleaded guilty to one of three charges for which he was due for trial this August. 

In a brief hearing today, June 3, his lawyer Julian van der Walle said Labute has already undergone a psychological evaluation but before sentencing, the Crown insisted on a psychiatric report as well. 

"The psychiatric assessment is because of the nature of the offences and… some of the matters… located in the residence (and) some videos posted online the Crown has concerns about," prosecutor Maegan Richards said. 

Labute was charged after he posted a video on social media of himself torturing and killing two hamsters. He is also believed to be responsible for many disturbing artistic creations.

It's expecting two other charges, including causing unnecessary pain to an animal and making or publishing obscene material will be dropped at sentencing.

He will be back in court in mid-August for sentencing.

van der Walle said he and the Crown had a "detailed" joint submission to put forward at that time. 

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