THE case against a man accused of brutally stabbing a dog to death and threatening to kill four witnesses has been delayed until the new year.
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Aaron James Casey, 28, of Stewart Street, allegedly beat a Staffordshire bull terrier before stabbing it in the back with a knife, severing part of its spinal cord and puncturing its lungs.
The accused appeared briefly before Magistrate Michael Price in Bathurst Local Court last week via audio visual link from Bathurst Correctional Centre, where he remains in custody. He faces a string of charges, including torture/beat an animal to death, commit an aggravated act of cruelty upon an animal, enter enclosed lands without lawful excuse, steal a dog, common assault, stalk and/or intimidate, and destroy or damage property.
Casey has pleaded not guilty to all charges except the malicious damage.
He will reappear before Bathurst Local Court on January 24, at which time the prosecution is expected to present three witnesses and a veterinary report to the court.
Police facts allege that on the afternoon of September 9 Casey was sitting in the front yard of his Stewart Street home with four other people – including a nine-year-old boy – playing with his pet dog, when a bull terrier wandered into his yard and growled at his dog.
It is alleged the accused picked up the bull terrier and punched it in the head several times before kicking it as it ran away.
The four witnesses later told police that Casey then threatened to stab the dog and went inside to get a knife. A short timer later, Casey and the nine-year old boy went for a walk to find the dog.
It is alleged Casey then took the bull terrier to a shed in Browning Street and, after telling the nine-year old to wait outside, stabbed the bull terrier in the back, severing part of its spinal cord and puncturing its lungs.
Police allege he then took pictures of the dead dog on his mobile phone which he showed to two of the witnesses when he returned home.
It is alleged Casey then threatened to kill the witnesses if they went to the police.