Brighton cat killer died of Covid, inquest hears

Steven Bouquet was jailed for five years and three months in July 2021

A security guard who was jailed for stabbing 16 cats in a series of attacks died of Covid-19, an inquest has heard.

Steven Bouquet, dubbed the "Brighton cat killer", was jailed in July 2021 over the deaths of nine cats and injuries inflicted on seven more.

On Thursday, the inquest in Maidstone heard Bouquet died on his 55th birthday in hospital.

He was receiving care for thyroid cancer while serving his sentence in HMP Elmley in Kent.

At the inquest, coroner Patricia Harding ruled Bouquet died of natural causes at Medway Maritime Hospital.

The medical cause of death was confirmed as Covid-19 pneumonitis with the secondary cause as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Despite receiving antibiotics, oxygen and medication specifically to treat coronavirus, his condition "progressively deteriorated", the inquest heard.

The coroner said it was "not clear" where Bouquet contracted coronavirus, either in hospital or in prison. He tested positive for the illness a day after he was admitted for a cough and difficulty breathing.

Ms Harding said: "Despite whatever measures, he was too weak to fight the infection and sadly he died on January 5 2022, on his 55th birthday."

CCTV captured Steven Bouquet stroking a cat before going on to stab it

Bouquet carried out the attacks across Brighton between October 2018 and May 2019.

He was eventually captured on CCTV set up by the owner of a dead cat.

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