A York Councillor has called for the student who fried a hamster in a drunken prank to be dismissed from the University of York.
On 4th February last year James White, who was said to be “drunk to the point of madness,” fried the female Syrian hamster, and later admitted to animal cruelty despite denying that he had killed the creature which was found in a frying pan at the scene by police.
It is unclear whether the animal was dead or alive when it was placed in the pan by the Politics and International Relations student.
21-year-old White was banned from keeping animals for eight years, ordered to complete 120 hours’ unpaid work and obliged to pay £1000 in prosecution costs by Selby Magistrates Court as a result of his actions.
However Green Councillor Dave Taylor has claimed that the sentence was too lenient and that the York student should have been jailed for a number of years.
The sentiments were reiterated by Coun Taylor, who represents Fishergate, who claimed that the sentence was “paltry” for the crime. Taylor posted on Facebook saying that he was alternately deeply upset and seething in anger at White’s “vile” actions.
In addition to this Taylor wrote to the University expressing his concern at White’s continued presence at the institution.
“The university’s prestige is enhanced by that of successful students, and there has been quite a list in the last 50 years,” he said.
“But I feel its reputation would be distinctly tarnished if it were to become known as the university which gave a degree to an animal abuser. One can imagine the headlines – “University of York: BSc in Frying Hamsters” etc.”
However a spokesperson for the University told The Press that the issue was a criminal matter rather than one concerning the University. The spokesperson added: “We are satisfied that it has been dealt with through the court. We propose to take no further action.”
One first year Politics student told Vision: “Everyone has been quick to judge him. He did something wrong in a state of inebriation but should not be forced to leave university. He has been punished by court of law, if we truly believe in our system we should leave it at that and move on with our lives.”
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The court sentence was more than enough. This lads education should not be put in jeopardy for this mistake which he is being made to pay for anyway.
I agree with the first year student, its time for people to move on with their lives. This happened a year ago and the university is clear on where they stand with regards to this issue, nothing will happen to the guy- Let him be!
Completely agree with MA. Cllr Taylor is just trying to get press attention for his own benefit. The court’s sentence was appropriate. Let’s move on.
Cllr Taylor is not judge, jury and executioner. He should accept the courts judgement and move on, it has nothing to do with him anyway. James White has clearly been punished for his actions and it shouldn’t ruin the rest of his life. He has had to pay a heavy price for a stupid incident. No doubt when a future employer googles his name will continue to pay the price.
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I aint too sure bout what should be done, aight. On one hand, he has been punished innit, like we’z all gonna know that this James bruvva is not someone you want round your house for like a party, cos what if you gots a fish or summat and he just tries to cook it, or he deads your cat, like proper kills it and tries to blame curiosity or sum shit.
But then on the other hand, I don’t want to get tarred with da same brush, and if he stays at york, all my mates from my ends will be like ‘ooooh, you is hanging round with friar tuck innit, you is hanging round with the gerbil gonner, and the rodent ravager and what not’…
So what I say, is put dis shit to some kind of vote, or see if man can be trusted around animals, like some trial or some shit, where you give man a can of strongbow, and make him stay in a room wig a guinea pig. If strong bow gets finished, but terrence the guinea pig don’t, man is legit and let him stay. If he finishes both, get him out of York quicker than you can say, ‘lightly roasted’ .. and if he don’t finish guinea nor the can. Man is a pussy and I don’t care for his rep no more.
Being a vegetarian I think even his punishment was harsh, nobody can seriously call cooking a hamster animal cruelty when they sit there eating a ham sandwich or similar. This should have been dealt with as a case of him taking something that was not his to take, it would be difficult to talk about cooking meat as ‘animal cruelty’ with a straight face, considering most of the population go home and cook some other animal.
It was wrong what he did, but to call for a more severe punishment for him doing something which is done on mass, albeit to something that was not his, is ludicrous.
The guy admitted to ‘animal cruelty’ (not applicable to corpses?) so by own admission was responsible for its death, even if not by frying. It’s a heinous crime.
Whether he should be expelled from the university is the university’s call and I don’t really want to input on that, but the claim that cooking a hamster is similar to cooking meat or that people should move on with their lives is a bit silly… The guy murdered a pet, and it’s not exactly the most sane thing to do.
Long jail time? Possibly not. Permanent expulsion? Probably not. But expelled from current course? Maybe more sensible, if the uni were so inclined.
@Bob shut up. why should he be expelled? he has been punished. merry xmas
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I am happy to be a gay icon, but remember I am straight. I do find it very flattering that gay people look upon my body with desire
A murderer graduated from York, admittedly not on campus but he became a murderer whilst also being a York alumni. Should the university revoke his degree? Obviously passing the examinations and graduating from university is a different thing than being the “sort of guy” who should graduate from university
What’s a night out without at least one rodent getting sizzled in its own juices? #YOLO
Golly gosh, people here are acting as if they have never had the drunken urge to fry a hamster, calm down old boys.