I'm A Celebrity's D'Acampo and Manning face rat charges

[xxMATTGxx]

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! winner Gino D'Acampo and Stuart Manning face charges of animal cruelty after cooking and eating a rat in the show.

The RSPCA in New South Wales, Australia, said it was "not acceptable" that a rat had been killed by the pair as part of a performance.

Police confirmed they had issued court attendance notices for 3 February 2010.

The Italian chef and actor ate the rat after they were "exiled" and reduced to rations of rice and beans on the show.

D'Acampo, 33, told the show's video diary room, the Bush Telegraph: "I saw one of these rats running around. I got a knife, I got its throat, I picked it up."

The "exiled" group, including 30-year-old Manning, ate the rat as part of a meal.

Ch Insp David Oshannessy, from the RSPCA in New South Wales, told BBC Radio 5 live there was a "code of practice" which dictated how animals could be used in theatrical productions and films.

"The killing of a rat for a performance is not acceptable. The concern is this was done purely for the cameras," he said.

'Ongoing'

The charity sends staff whenever animals are used for filmed or live performances, he said, and so had been in contact with the programme's producers before the rat was killed.

"Production staff have to summit a notification form to the RSPCA or Animal Welfare League - both are charged with responsibilities under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

"But we received no pre-notice or advice this segment was going to occur, it happened on a day no animals were featuring in production, so we didn't have an officer there," he said.

Inquiries were "very much ongoing" and the RSPCA was not "ruling out" further charges against the production company ITV, he added.

A spokesman added: "Police from Murwillumbah yesterday issued field court attendance notices to two men aged 30 and 33 for the offence of animal cruelty.

"They are due to attend court at Murwillumbah local court on 3 February 2010."

ITV was unavailable for comment.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8397691.stm


Does anyone else think this is a bit stupid? I never knew it was so bad to kill a rat over there. I'm sure they only did it for food as well. Good luck to them both!

[Mathew]

How pathetic. They really need to get a grip if that is their argument. If you're stuck in the jungle, you're hardly gonna think twice about killing something.

That's lowered what I thought of the RSPCA now.

[Sunnily]

Even though i care alot about animals i don't think they have to be that tight. The jungle was miles away from where they was anyway.

[Molly.22]

Thats just pathetic, if it was that serious they would have been pulled out of the show.

[Smits]

I like how the RSPCA have said it was done purely for the cameras. They talk absolute ****. They need to wake up, look around and realise animals are used for food, sad *******s who thought to make these charges, only thinking about money.

[Gullable]

how petty, seriously people get let off for things like burglary and stuff and then there taking them to court for a stupid rat:S gets on my nerves.

[Technologic]

Stupid tree hugging hippies

[Inseriousity.]

Just those two? Is it for the killing or the eating? Cos there were the rest of the exile camp who ate the rat too but if it was just for the killing/cooking, it'd make sense.

Well, not sense because it's a completely stupid case. They were hungry and basic human survival nature is to eat whatever is available!

[Ardemax]

I think it's a bit OTT.

[Black_Apalachi]

Killing an animal quickly is bad but throwing thousands of creatures into tanks of water with people jumping about and eating them is fine? :S