A magistrate had admonished a man for threatening to shoot a neighbour's dogs and then throwing poison over the fence after a pet cat died.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On Wednesday, August 17, David Anthony William Gras pleaded guilty in Griffith Local Court to using a carriage service to harass, intending to injure or destroy a domestic animal and intimidation.
According to documents presented to the court, on July 29 at 4.40pm Gras' partner spoke to their neighbour's son to ask if she could find her cat Holly, which she believed to be in their backyard.
The neighbour's son refused and said he would look himself but Gras' partner entered the backyard through a side gate.
The court heard they saw one of the neighbour's four dogs, a 13-year-old wolfhound cross great dane pull the cat from the long grass.
The neighbour's son told the dog to drop the cat, which Gras' partner then took home.
At 6pm, Gras called the neighbour accusing his dogs of killing the cat and threatening to report the dogs to council.
Gras later sent several angry and abusive text messages from 6.55pm to 7.54pm, including a picture of the dead cat.
At 7.59pm, Gras threatened his neighbour over text he would shoot the dogs if they barked again.
The neighbour called police as Gras owned firearms. Police called to speak to Gras a number of times and he eventually told them "it would only be a slug".
Police told Gras they would suspend his firearms licence.
When the neighbour returned home, he noticed his two dogs didn't approach the back gate. He went to the backyard to see one looking for something in the garden.
He overhead someone next door saying "this will f---ing fix him" and saw an object thrown over the fence.
READ MORE
The object was a chicken neck with green pellets that he suspected were poison. He called an after-hours vet and took all four dogs for treatment. The dogs were given medication to vomit up what they had eaten and counter-act the poison.
The neighbour saw his two-year-old wolfhound x American pitbull was drooling excessively and later threw up several chicken necks with green pellets.
The neighbour gave police a statement, photos, a copy of the vet bill, copies of text messages sent by Gras and chicken necks and green pellets found in the yard.
On July 30, Gras sent more text messages starting at 4.42am until 11.41am, warning his neighbour that "karma is coming".
Police visited Gras at 8.45pm collecting CCTV footage, and interviewing him at the police station where he made full admissions to police.
Gras' legal representative Glenn Kable told Griffith Local Court that his client had demonstrated some remorse by paying the amount sought by the victim for veterinary bills into his trust account.
"There was a bit of provocation involved, it's been ongoing for a number of years," Mr Kable the court.
Mr Kable said Gras was a well-respected businessman, tendering several references to the court to demonstrate the standing he was held in within the community.
"It was a kneejerk reaction. He's owned up to it, plead guilty and is highly unlikely to re-offend," he said.
Magistrate Trevor Khan said there could have been "appalling consequences" for the dog without treatment.
Mr Khan said rat poison could have seen the dog's internal organs break down and then bleed to death.
He said even if somebody kept their dogs restrained appropriately, a cat freely wandering around the neighbourhood would still be at risk.
"It doesn't deserve the reaction of throwing poison over the fence," he said.
During sentencing Mr Khan said Gras' actions invited scrutiny about whether his actions were "pre-meditated".
Gras was convicted on the three charges and for using a carriage service to harass was fined $750, for intending to injure a domestic animal he was fined $1000 and for intimidation he was fined $250.
He will also have to pay $982.85 for the dog's veterinary care.
Mr Khan also ordered Gras not assault or intimidate, or possess any firearms or prohibited weapons for two years.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.areanews.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News