Man broke puppy’s leg

Press, 22 September 1987, Page 16

Man broke puppy’s leg

A pet puppy suffered a broken leg, a torn ligament, and severe bruising to its head, after being repeatedly punched by a man who, counsel said, took out his anger on the animal rather than on his wife.

In the District Court yesterday Judge Erber sentenced Jeremy Matavae Livisone to periodic detention for four months. Such a demonstration of cruelty in front of children was “disgusting,” said Judge Erber. Livisone, aged 32, unemployed (Mr John Appleby), admitted cruelly ill-treating the family pet dog on September 12.

Sergeant Fenton Wood said that as a result of injuries to tfie?puppy the defendant’s wife had to pay $350 in veterinary fees. ■'

He said the assault on the puppy, in which Livisone repeatedly punched the animal about the head until blood was drawn, followed a domestic argument, and took place in front of three children. The defendant had earlier ill-treated the same puppy. He offered no reasonable explanation for his behaviour, said Sergeant Wood.

Livisone accepted the police summary of facts,

said Mr Appleby. “It appears that he took his anger out on the dog rather than on his wife.” The defendant had now left home and his family, and was about to start an anger management course.

It was sometimes said that a person's degree of civilised behaviour could be judged by the way he treated animals, Judge Erber said. "It would seem you are not yet civilised,” he told Livisone.

The Judge also ordered the defendant to pay $350 compensation to cover the veterinarian charges. HID ON SHIP

A woman who went into an empty cabin on the ship, Iron Prince, at Wellington, for a sleep found the ship had sailed when she woke up, said Sergeant Wood. Ramona Joyce Butler, aged 31, unemployed, admitted secreting herself on the Iron Prince for the purpose of going to sleep.

The Judge fined her $7O.

Sergeant Wood said Butler went aboard the ship in Wellington at 6 a.m. on Saturday. She was discovered on board about 2 a.m., next day, when a fire alarm sounded and the crew was

assembled. Two other women, Venessa Yvonne Nathan, aged 17, unemployed, and Alma Tracey Nathan, aged 19, a sales representative, were also found on board the ship. They were remanded, without pleading, to September 30.

PERIODIC DETENTION j Periodic detention for ; six months was imposed on John William Bushnell when he appeared for | sentence on five burglaries from which property worth $14,573 was ; j stolen. -a. ; The offences were seri- i ous, said the Judge, and;; he strongly disagreed with a probation service recommendation of community service. Very little of whaFhe had read about the !9- ‘ year-old defendant could - excuse his criminal be-' haviour, he said. In order to be about compensation, the J Judge ordered Bushnell to' ' pay $5OOO at the rate of I $35 a week. 7 Bushnell (Mr M. J. < Glue), had assisted the police in recovering some s of the stolen property. The defendant was also for sentence on two ii charges of theft, and one ; each of possessing morphine, a pipe, and needles.