The Barclay’s analyst, originally from Omagh, County Tyrone, who was arrested for allegedly torturing his New York roommate’s cat, Lucy, is no longer employed by the bank and may also face further criminal charges.
In February the 24-year-old banker, Declan Garrity, who was living in the United States on a work visa, was arrested on animal torture and cruelty charges having allegedly broken bones, pulled out the cat’s claws and burnt her. At the time Barclays placed Garrity on leave and said it would conduct "a thorough investigation" into the situation.
Less than one week later the Tyrone man was arrested again on a criminal contempt charge having allegedly returned to the apartment, which he had shared with Lucy the cat’s owner, despite the fact that the court had ordered him to stay away without a police escort under an order of protection and by a judge's order.
On Wednesday (Mar 16) told CNBC “Mr. Garrity is no longer with Barclays" and added "I can't comment on the reason for his departure." The spokesman also declined to say when he left the bank.
The analyst stands accused of ripping out the cat Lucy's nails, breaking bones in her face, pelvis and legs and burning the animal.
He had been living in the Upper East Side with the cat’s owner, known only as Danielle, since November 2015. The pair had met on the online forum Craigslist. Danielle had noticed “strange behavior” in the cat and on Jan 25, when the cat was clearly injured, while she was out, Garrity had said an iron fall on the cat.
On Feb 20 Danielle, who works as a nurse, came home to find Lucy, an eight-pound cat, hiding in her carrier with “her rear foot facing the wrong direction.” Danielle found cat hair and blood on the bathroom towel. She later found out the cat had suffered suffered a broken bone in her leg, broken ribs, teeth and claws, and burns across her body.
The cat is now recovering but is still undergoing operations this week. A GoFundMe campaign set up to pay for Lucy's treatment has raised over $11,700 in the past three weeks.
The father said Danielle got to take Lucy home for a couple of days. He said the owners is “hanging in there” and “hoping that everything goes well.”
On Friday CNBC reported that Danielle’s father said prosecutors had informed their family that the a grand jury had returned an indictment lodging eight felony charges against Garrity. He will also face further chargers with relation to the violation of the protective order.
A spokeswoman for the Manhattan District Attorney's office declined to comment but said "the case is open and pending."
The Tyrone man is expected back in court on April 28. If convicted of his initial charges Garrity could face up to four years in prison, for the initial cruelty charges only.
Comments