Two short Snapchat videos showing a man torturing and killing an injured kangaroo with a “pig sticking knife” were screened in a Central West Court before the man was sentenced to jail on Tuesday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The videos depicted Samuel Jade Woods, 21, of Orange, and co-accused Kyle Berryman, laughing as Woods repeatedly threw the knife at the eastern grey kangaroo’s head.
Sentencing magistrate David Day was also handed police facts that detailed the events, as well as a graphic photo of Woods posing with the kangaroo once it was dead.
Mr Day sentenced Woods to two years in jail, with 18-months to be served without parole, giving him a potential release date of September 26, 2019.
He described Woods behaviour as incompetent and clumsy, saying the violence prolonged the kangaroo’s suffering.
The incident occurred after the two men were driving to a property at Tomingley on August 14 or 15, 2016, when the kangaroo jumped over a fence into the path of Berryman's vehicle and was seriously injured by the impact.
Woods’ solicitor Mason Manwaring said his client intended to euthanise the animal but did not have a rifle, or a knife with a sharp blade, which he could do it with humanely.
“The kangaroo was clearly injured, it wasn’t hopping away, the only thing they had in the car was a “sticker” what I would call a ‘pig sticker’,” Mr Manwaring said.
“Instead of just getting over the animal and making it clean and quick, this immature, stupid and inhumane way was used.
“It’s pretty hard to understand what young men do sometimes.”
Woods was supported in court by family and friends, who cried and hugged him before he was led into custody.
Berryman was previously sentenced in February and was given 20 months’ jail with 15 months to be served without parole for encouraging Woods to torture and kill the animal.
Both men have launched appeals on the severity of their sentences, which will be heard in Orange District Court.
Berryman was granted bail after lodging his appeal, but Mr Day refused to grant bail to Woods, who he said had a considerably greater involvement and he would not be in custody waiting for the appeal longer than his non-parole period.
Woods pleaded guilty on January 8 this year, which gave him a 15 per cent, reduction on his sentence.
