MAN BANNED FROM KEEPING ANIMALS FOR 10 YEARS AFTER REPEATEDLY PUNCHING DOG
A man from Antrim has received a ten-year prohibition on owning animals after a court heard evidence of repeated abuse against a young collie.The incidents included punching her multiple times, twisting her neck, and forcefully slamming her onto the ground, with the abuse captured on video footage.
On June 25, at Antrim Magistrates’ Court, Dan Hustiu, who is from the Antrim area, pleaded guilty to charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and neglecting her welfare.
The case was brought forward by the local council, specifically the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, following an investigation conducted by their Animal Welfare Officer.
The court, presided over by District Judge Broderick, sentenced Hustiu to a decade-long ban from keeping any animals.
Additionally, he was ordered to complete 240 hours of community service and pay legal costs of £155 along with £32 in court fees.
The proceedings followed reports from witnesses who observed a man striking his dog, along with video footage of the incident.
The footage was reviewed by the council’s Animal Welfare Officer, revealing a pattern of violence including punching, muzzle grabbing, and neck twisting.
The footage’s gravity led the officer to seek a search warrant for the suspect’s home.
Upon executing the warrant, police officers discovered a young collie tethered inside the residence, attached to a refrigerator with a short lead.
The dog was confiscated and examined by a veterinary surgeon.
The veterinary assessment identified injuries consistent with the abuse, including a tongue cut and neck pain.
The court examined the veterinary report, which detailed the traumatic injuries sustained by the animal, underscoring the severity of the abuse documented on video.
The council vet stated: “In the first video, he grabbed the dog, held her mouth shut while twisting her neck and repeatedly punched her with a closed fist.
“In the videos you can hear the dog yelping in pain as the man punches her.
“In the second video the man is holding the dog by her neck and slamming her down to the ground.
“He then proceeds to again hold her mouth shut and twist her neck and then shakes her in position.
“Again in this footage her yelps of pain are audible and she tries to pull away from him.
“When she does get away from him she cowers under the table outside away from the man.” The evidence formed part of the prosecution case against Hustiu, who admitted the offences before the court.
