David August Pischke was found guilty of one charge of committing an act of aggravated cruelty upon an animal after a hearing in Inverell Local Court.

Magistrate Michael O’Brien, who had adjourned the case from May to consider his decision, found Pischke not guilty of the second charge of torture, beat and cause the death of an animal, and dismissed it during the sentencing hearing.

Pischke, who had denied both charges against him, was convicted of the animal cruelty offence and put on a good behaviour bond for 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay $3,000 in compensation to the family who owned the American bulldog.

No witnesses were called during the hearing in May, rather, a brief of evidence was tendered to Mr O’Brien.

The charges were triggered after an incident at Pischke’s property in Inverell when he located a dog about 7am on October 4, last year.

As part of the police case in court, officers maintained Pischke used a shovel and a hammer to strike the bulldog multiple times to the head.

The dog, known as Nova, died at the scene.

An investigation was launched by police and culminated in two charges against Pischke shortly after.

In the wake of Nova’s death last year, owner Craig Adamson told Fairfax Media his family were absolutely devastated.

“She was our little boy’s companion,” he said in October, adding Nova had had four eight-week-old puppies at home at the time.

“We’re all pretty gutted by it.”

The papered American Bulldog was just two-and-a-half years old, and Mr Adamson found out about the death on Facebook after posting messages on local sites for help to find the missing animal 

“She [was] one of the most placid dogs I’ve ever come across,” he said at the time, adding she “would wag her tail” whenever someone approached her.