Liam Brandon Maxwell to serve three months in jail for killing flatmate’s service dog
A man who killed his flatmate’s service dog in a “senseless, violent and frankly frightening” attack will serve three months in prison. WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT
Police & Courts
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A man who killed his flatmate’s service dog in a sickening attack has been sentenced to serve three months in prison.
Liam Brandon Maxwell killed four-year-old shih tzu Oliver in February last year when he threw the dog across a room, causing him to slam into a wall.
Police called to the Surfers Paradise apartment found the roof, walls and curtains splattered with blood and the tiny dog was found in a pool of his blood.
Maxwell pleaded guilty to a charge of serious animal cruelty in the Brisbane District Court on Tuesday.
In sentencing, Judge Rowan Jackson said Oliver was a “defenceless animal”.
“This was a senseless, violent and frankly frightening act,” Judge Jackson said.
A post mortem found the tiny dog suffered significant injuries and he ultimately died from severe brain damage, consistent with “violent movements and hitting hard objects”.
“He would have experienced extreme emotional distress and fear as he was being traumatised,” Judge Jackson said.
Crown Prosecutor Christopher Cook tendered a victim impact statement from Oliver’s owner Chantelle Astin who spoke of her heartbreak at losing Oliver who had been her service dog to help with anxiety and depression.
“It’s clear that Oliver’s death has had a profound effect upon her,” Judge Jackson said.
Defence barrister James McNab submitted Maxwell suffered from serious mental health issues and had long running problems with drug abuse.
Mr McNab said his client had suffered extra curial punishment with he and his family receiving death threats from people online after he killed Oliver.
He submitted Maxwell’s offending was not premeditated or protracted.
Judge Jackson sentenced Maxwell to two years and six months imprisonment.
He will be required to serve three months of that sentence behind bars before he is released on parole in July.
The court heard about six months prior to the attack on Oliver, Maxwell had completed a probation order for the serious assault of a person over the age of 60.
In that incident, Maxwell punched the victim who fell to the ground and he continued to punch the man before he was pulled away by a woman.
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