‘I THINK I KILLED YOUR DOG, OLIVER’
A TALLAI man threw his flatmate’s service dog into a wall in a flash of anger which killed the canine and left blood splattered across the Surfers Paradise apartment.
Liam Brandon Maxwell killed the four-year-old Maltese cross, Oliver, while the dog’s owner was out of their apartment on February 8 last year.
A necropsy by the RSPCA had found Oliver had “experienced extreme emotional distress and fear as he had been traumatised” in the lead up to his death, a court was told.
Maxwell, 24, pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court on Thursday to serious animal cruelty.
Crown prosecutor Christopher Cook said Oliver’s owner Chantelle Astin had lived with Maxwell, Oliver and her cat in their Surfers Paradise apartment for a number of months.
She used Oliver as a service dog for her posttraumatic stress disorder to help calm her down during an episode.
Mr Cook said Oliver was well-trained, lived harmoniously and had never bitten anyone.
While Ms Astin was out of the apartment on the morning of February 8, Maxwell threw Oliver across the apartment where he hit a wall.
Maxwell then called Ms Austin and said: “Holy f***, I think I have killed him”.
He claimed in the call Oliver had bit him.
There was no evidence presented to the court that this was the case.
Ms Astin made attempts to get vet help for Oliver but they were unable to help him.
Mr Cook told the court police found blood splattered on the wall, ceiling, curtains and a pool of blood.
He told the court Maxwell had suffered some mental health issues.
Judge Rowan Jackson asked for a psychological report but none has been prepared.
Prior to Maxwell’s legal team giving submissions, Judge Jackson adjourned the matter to an unfixed date so a report could be obtained.
Maxwell will remain on bail.