Cat torture accused is re-arrested
Irishman ‘broke order of the court’
THE Irish banker accused of torturing his roommate’s cat i n New York has been arrested again – for breaching a protection order by going back to the scene of the alleged crime.
Declan Garrity, 24, was released on bail – and his lawyer claimed the Tyrone man ‘likes animals’ and comes from a family that houses rescued pets.
THE Irish banker accused of torturing his roommate’s cat i n New York has been arrested for a second time after breaking a court ban on visiting the apartment in question.
Declan Garrity had been told by the judge in the case to stay away from the flat where the alleged offences took place unless he was accompanied by a police officer.
However the court heard yeserday that he had turned up at the apartment without a police escort and so police were called, who duly arrested him.
Yesterday Mr Garrity’s lawyer said that the incident was a misunderstanding and that his client had no wish to disobey the court’s order.
Telesforo Del Valle also said that Mr Garrity, 24, ‘likes animals’ and his mother and father house rescued pets in their home in Omagh, Co. Tyrone, his lawyer has said.
Mr Del Valle added that his client is ‘horrified’ at the accusations that he battered an 8lbs cat and burned her tail.
He said that the Barclays financial analyst is finding the case ‘stressful’ and has no history of violence against animals.
Mr Garrity has been charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals – a felony offence that carries a jail sentence of between 16 months and four years.
The Omagh man is also accused of one count of torturing and injuring animals.
He is now also charged with criminal contempt in the second degree for returning to the apartment in Manhattan which he shared with the cat’s owner, contrary to the court’s orders.
According to the criminal complaint: ‘The defendant came to the apartment without a police escort and still attempted to gain access to the apartment, in direct contradiction to the order of the protection order of the judge.’
Following this incident, prosecutors wanted Mr Garrity bailed for $ 50,000 (€ 46,041) and made a request for his passport to be handed over, but the judge declined and ordered that he be released for $1,000 (€912) bail.
Speaking to the Irish Daily Mail, Mr Del Valle said of his client: ‘His family has rescue animals in their home. He likes animals.’
Asked if Mr Garrity had explained himself, Mr Del Valle said: ‘He has to me but we are not ready to discuss that.
‘He feels horrible. His mother and father and sister have flown over from Ireland to be with him.
‘He wants to see this through. He wants to resolve this’.
Mr Garrity was arrested for the first time on February 20 when his roommate, whose name has only been given as Danielle, came home in the morning from her shift working as a nurse to find her black and white cat Lucy covered in blood.
She took Lucy to a vet who discovered that the cat had a number of injuries including broken legs and smashed teeth.
Danielle claims she then realised that Lucy’s behaviour had been different since Mr Garrity moved in last November and alleges he had been abusing her since then.
Mr Garrity was supposed to go to the apartment they used to share between 1pm and 3pm on Tuesday of this week with a police escort so he could collect his belongings. However, Mr Del Valle said the sergeant at the local precinct refused to give him an escort.
Mr Del Valle said that Mr Garrity did not want to waste the $600 he had spent hiring movers and so went to the apartment and rang the bell with the intention of just letting these movers in. Danielle’s father was home and called the police, who arrested Mr Garrity.
Mr Del Valle said the episode was a ‘misunderstanding’ and that Mr Garrity wanted to obey the court.
Speaking to the Mail, New York immigration lawyer David Bertan said that since Mr Garrity allegedly carried out the crime in America, he would likely face trial there.
The Irishman would also have to serve any sentence in the US before he could return home, the lawyer said. Mr Bertan added: ‘There’s nothing to stop him fleeing to Ireland as he still has his passport but he could be extradited back to America if he does so.’
‘He wants to resolve this’