The act of animal cruelty was caught on camera and was witnessed by an 8-year-old girl.
The court was shown footage of Trent Matthew Hassum, 30, filmed in May, pulling Dachshund Aubree from her enclosure by the collar and then shoving her head into the ground with the full force of his body weight.
Aubree can be audibly heard squealing in fits of pain as the accused leans on her head, as his partner yells in the background “you’re going to kill her!”
Hassum pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in Sandgate Magistrates Court on Monday after the RSPCA received footage of the incident from a neighbour.
According to The Courier Mail after entering the plea Mr Hassum said, "I didn’t meant to cause any harm and did not want to hurt her in any way."
"I just want to apologise for what happened," he reportedly said.
The court was shown three videos of Mr Hassum deliberately hurting the dog, prompting one member of the gallery to label him a “scumbag”.
Hassum has been banned from owning or living in a home with an animal for three years and was sentenced to 150 hours community service. In addition to the community service Mr Hassum was ordered to pay about $750 in legal costs for the RSPCA, vet fees for the dog and summons matters.
Outside court Mr Hassum did not offer any further comment but RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty described the incident as “sickening”.
“You have to understand that animal cruelty shows a complete lack of empathy,” Mr Beatty said.
“There was no indication that the man was drunk or on drugs, he just showed a complete lack of empathy.”
(7News - July 18, 2016)
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