Sinitta’s backing singer is caught by police drone’s thermal imaging camera keeping big cats without a licence
- Warren Polydorou, 57, kept the cats in a wooden enclosure with mesh on top
- He toured with Sinitta and says he now expects to be signed by her as a singer
- The cats are now living in zoos with the space, facilities and staff they need
A singer who kept two dangerous African big cats as pets without a licence was caught after they were spotted by a police drone with a thermal-imaging camera.
Warren Polydorou, 57, who is a former backing singer and dancer for Sinitta, housed his Serval cats in a makeshift enclosure described by police as being in ‘the middle of nowhere’.
One of the animals was spotted in a video taken by a police drone as it prowled around its wooden framed enclosure covered with wire mesh in Colby, Norfolk.
An investigation was launched by North Norfolk District Council which ruled the cats were being kept insecurely and could have posed a ‘significant’ risk to local people if they had escaped.
Warren Polydorou, 57, who is a former backing singer and dancer for Sinitta, housed his Serval cats in a makeshift enclosure described by police as being in ‘the middle of nowhere’
Police found the enclosure using a drone with a thermal imaging camera – and filmed one pacing around, seen here at the middle
Polydorou toured with Sinitta for several years before setting up his own band in 1992, then becoming a solo singer in 2003. His website states he expects to be signed by Sinitta herself ‘shortly’
Polydorou admitted to keeping the cats without a licence and was fined £40 by magistrates, as well as being ordered to pay £674 in costs, compensation and a victim surcharge
Polydorou of Cromer, Norfolk, was found to be the owners of the cats, but did not have the required licence to keep them under the 1976 Dangerous Wild Animals Act.
Serval cats have black spots and are a slender breed of cat native to African grasslands south of the Sahara. They can weigh between 20 and 40lbs.
They can reach speeds of up to 50mph and jump two metres in the air to attack their prey with bites to the throat, and are capable of bringing down young antelope.
Serval cats are sometimes bred with normal cats to create Savannah cats, a hybrid breed which some people keep as domestic pets.
Savannah cats are described as playful, adventurous and loyal. They often like playing in water and can even be trained to walk on a lead.
Cat product producer Purina describes their temperament: ‘Savannah Cats have strong hunting instincts, so they aren’t always suitable for households with pets like fish, hamsters, and birds.
Singing star Sinitta has lived in the UK most of her life and is well-known as a television personality on shows such as Loose Women
‘Her temperament is mild, though, so she’s a great companion to other cats and dogs, children and other humans in her home with proper socialization as a kitten.’
The first kitten, named Savannah, was born on April 7, 1986. In the UK, depending on the exact breed a Savannah cat could set you back by up to £16,000.
Polydorou, who now runs karaoke sessions in local pubs, admitted keeping the male and female Serval cats without a licence when he appeared before Norwich magistrates.
He was fined £40 and ordered to pay £674 in costs, compensation and a victim surcharge.
The council said it used powers under the Act to seize the cats and ‘remove the associated risks’.
The cats are now being cared for at zoos ‘that have the staff, facilities and the expertise required to properly care for big cats’.
A council spokesperson said Serval cats were classed as ‘dangerous wild animals’ and required to be kept ‘in circumstances which create no risk to the public’.
James Windsor, an Environmental Health Officer at the Council, said: ‘This was an extremely serious case for the Council.
‘The discovery of two Serval being kept in the district in accommodation, which was not built in such a way that would have prevented their escape, put the local community at significant risk.
‘Effectively recapturing an escaped animal would have presented significant challenges.
‘We are aware that there has been a general trend in the UK for people to privately keep Servals as they are used to breed Savannah cats which is a highly lucrative business.
‘The Council will not hesitate to take robust action where dangerous wild animals are being kept without a licence and in a manner which endangers public safety.
Serval cats are classed as wild animals and can reach speeds of up to 50mph, despite some weighing just 20lbs
‘We are extremely grateful for the assistance of Norfolk Police’s Rural Crime Team in both the detection of this crime and in bringing the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.’
Norfolk Police’s Norfolk Rural Crime unit tweeted thanks to the Council for its work and cooperation.
In a post depicting the video of the cat, taken by a drone thermal-imaging camera, the force said: ‘Huge thanks to North Norfolk District Council working with us once we discovered this issue.
‘This was picked up by ourselves on a drone flight as just not looking right. Can’t think why in the middle of nowhere.’
A Norfolk Police spokesperson said: ‘Police were flying a drone in the area following up on intelligence reports and discovered the structure.’
A biography on Polydorou’s website states he graduated from the Laines school of theatre arts in Surrey.
He appeared on TV variety shows, performing with the likes of Little and Large and Russ Abbott, before becoming a backing singer and dancer for Sinitta in the 1980s.
His biography states he spent a few years ‘travelling the world’ with her, performing in countries including Japan, Spain and Switzerland.
Polydorou says he became ‘great friends’ with the singer and her manager Simon Cowell.
In 1992 he formed his own band called Perfect World. The band only played music Warren had written and they appeared at many London Venues and later on Sky TV’s show Where It’s At.
He returned to his home town of Cromer in 2003, writing his own songs and performing in local pubs and venues.
His website states: ‘He then decided to give it a go going out and singing on his own. He bought all his own equipment and now goes round clubs; eateries and some pubs with his own little set up.
‘Not only does Warren perform his own songs he also sings covers which range from James Blunt to Blues bros Mustang Sally.’
He adds he expects to be ‘shortly signed by Sinitta herself.’
Sinitta is an American singer who has lived in the UK most of her life. She is known as a famous TV personality and appeared on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in 2011.
Her golden era saw her produce hit records in the 1980s including So Macho, Toy Boy, Cross My Broken Heart and Right Back Where We Started From.
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