Warren Thomas Rade pleads guilty to dog cruelty at Slade Point

A man attacked his former partner’s a 10-month-old puppy after she accused him of cheating. The puppy was found battered and bruised at the bottom of a Slade Point cliff.

A Mackay father unleashed terror on his former partner’s 10-month-old puppy after she accused him of cheating on her.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard Warren Thomas Rade had been dating the woman for two months when he bought the bull mastiff puppy for her and her two children.

Police prosecutor Sheena Gravino said a fight broke out between 36-year-old Rade and the woman at her Slade Point home on July 9 when he refused to show her his phone after she accused him of being unfaithful.

Ms Gravino said the fight “continued for hours” before the pair went to the bedroom when Rusty the puppy had put his front paws on the bed.

Rade punched the dog in the face.

After the attack on Rusty, his former partner told Rade to “collect his things and leave”.

Ms Gravino said as Rade was leaving, the woman heard a yelp from Rusty and went to her son’s room where she found a puddle of urine on the floor.

The court heard as Rade was leaving the house he was seen saying sorry to the puppy before letting the animal out the door.

The woman later texted Rade to ask where the puppy had gone to which he replied the dog had run away.

The court heard Rade texted her: “you should have just shut your mouth when you seen you pushed me to the point of hitting my f***king dog the first time and the second time … now you can Snapchat some random cop to bring you a dog”.

About 11am on July 9, the woman received a call from Rade telling her Rusty had been found on the rocky face of Lamberts Lookout in Slade Point.

The court heard Rade had lost his job as a cook at the Mirani Hotel which he claimed happened because of Facebook posts about the incident were circulated.

Emergency services were called to help retrieve the puppy who was found with “facial swelling, a fractured front paw and lacerations”.

Ms Gravino did not allege Rade had anything to do with the puppy being found on the cliff, but said if Rade had not let Rusty out the additional injuries would not have occurred.

Rade pleaded guilty to animal cruelty at a domestic violence offence.

Defence lawyer Paul Broughton said Rade had lost his job as a cook at the Mirani Hotel which he claimed happened because Facebook posts about the incident were circulated.

Mr Broughton said his client had attended a domestic violence counselling session but did not pursue it because he did not deem it an “ongoing issue”.

He told the court Rade said “he doesn’t punch women, that’s why he took out his anger on the dog”.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said Rade’s actions highlighted the multifaceted ways in which domestic violence can occur and found his comment “showed an extreme lack of insight”.

Ms Hartigan ordered Rade complete 240 hours of community service, which is the maximum amount.

He was also ordered to pay $814 restitution and a conviction was recorded.