Drunk Man Broke Into Zoo, Was Beaten Up By The Squirrel Monkeys He Tried To Steal

John Owen Casford, who was found the following morning, suffered a broken leg, two fractured teeth, a sprained ankle, and bruises.

Squirrel monkey [Wikimedia Commons]
By: Catherine Townsend

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — A drunk New Zealand man has been thrown in the slammer after breaking into a cage full of squirrel monkeys — and being beaten up by the tiny creatures.

John Owen Casford, 23, snuck through the gates at Wellington Zoo and tried to capture one of the 10-inch tall squirrel monkeys for his girlfriend, according to the New Zealand Herald.

But the monkeys turned on him and attacked.

Casford, who was found the following morning, suffered a broken leg, two fractured teeth, a sprained ankle, and bruises, according to The Sun.

In court, the judge said that the monkeys had been "distressed" and that two of the simians had suffered injuries.

During the Restorative Justice hearing, zookeepers told Casford that he had traumatized the poor little monkeys.

Wellington District Court judge Bill Hastings said: “Your intention was to capture [a monkey] and bring it home to your girlfriend. Your attempt was not successful."

He added: "I don't know what happened in the squirrel monkey enclosure. The squirrel monkeys know. You say you couldn't find them, and I don't speak squirrel."

When the zoo staff discovered Casford, he was reportedly "high as a kite." They later located the female monkey that Casford had attempted to steal — hiding, injured, and frightened.

Squirrel monkeys are not known as dangerous animals, but have been known to attack humans if they feel threatened.

Casford pleaded guilty to several charges including common assault, assault with intent to injure, and breach of community work.

Recommended For You:

Main photo: Squirrel monkey [Wikimedia Commons]

Next Up

Kayla Unbehaun, Missing Since 2017, Found Safe In Asheville

Kayla Unbehaun was abducted from Illinois by her biological mother, Heather Unbehaun, on Independence Day 2017. 6 years later, she was found safe in North Carolina.

Navajo Nation Girl Assaulted, Killed After Man Kidnapped Her While She Was Playing

Tom Begaye Jr. left the 11-year-old child to die in the desert after “repeatedly hitting her on the head and face with a tire iron.”

Kidnapping Victim Helps Orchestrate Her Own Rescue By Holding Up Sign Saying 'Help Me'

A 13-year-old girl was rescued after holding up a sign from the window of Steven Robert Sablan’s car in a Long Beach, California parking lot.

5 Facts You May Not Know About Cleveland 'House Of Horrors' Kidnapper Ariel Castro

How a fired school bus driver abducted three young women and held them in his home for a decade — until one victim escaped with the daughter she’d had in captivity.

How The Abduction And Murder Of A 9-Year-Old Led To The AMBER Alert System

The AMBER alert system first debuted in 1996 as a collaboration between news media and police in Arlington, Texas. Named for Amber Hagerman, the alerts have helped find more than 1,000 abducted children.

True Crime News Roundup: Brittney Griner Transferred To Russian Penal Colony

Plus: Colorado police launch new probe into JonBenet Ramsey case; Woman sentenced to life for murdering woman to steal her baby; California megachurch leader accused of torturing young daughter; and Texas medical examiner murdered at work by her estranged husband.

Missing 13-Year-Old Girl Found Locked In Man’s Shed Over 1,000 Miles From Her Home

A 13-year-old Texas girl was rescued after being kidnapped and held captive in a North Carolina shed by a man she met while gaming online.

Armed Men Force Mother To Rob Bank By Strapping Dynamite To Her 7-Year-Old Daughter

Despite the ordeal, Michelle Renee says she wants “nothing but the best” for her and her child’s captors.

True Crime News Roundup: Loved Ones Mourn 7 Victims Killed In Fourth Of July Massacre

Plus: American basketball player pleads guilty to drug charges in Russia; Indiana man accused of killing Lyft driver, stealing SUV; Minnesota police search for missing girl whose mother killed herself; and former Theranos COO convicted of fraud.

North Carolina Couple Accused Of Murdering Woman Who Refused Threesome With Them

“They bled her out in a bathtub like an animal in a slaughterhouse,” the victim’s grandmother says of the “depraved” case.