Benjamin James Kolster charged with animal cruelty after duck allegedly decapitated in Mittagong

A second man accused of animal cruelty has faced court after a live duck was allegedly beheaded in the carpark of the Mittagong RSL last month.

A second man accused of animal cruelty has faced court after a live duck was beheaded in the carpark of Mittagong RSL last month.

Benjamin James Kolster, 27, has been charged with committing an act of animal cruelty on an Australian Wood duck.

Documents tendered to Moss Vale Local Court revealed the Hill Top resident is the older brother of co-accused Jonathan Kolster, who also recently faced court for the alleged duck decapitation.

Police allege the Kolster brothers chased a flock of protected wild Australian wood ducks through the Mittagong RSL carpark between 4pm and 5pm on Saturday January 22.

Police released this image of Benjamin Kolster after in a public appeal after a wild duck was killed on Hume Highway.

According to police allegations, the older Kolster caught one of the ducks before his brother Jonathan used his bare hands to rip the bird’s head from its neck while it was still alive.

Jonathan Kolster, aged 24, then allegedly drove drunk from the scene and crashed into a fence, where his car caught on fire. He has been charged with recklessly beating and killing an animal, committing an act of cruelty upon an animal, driving under the influence of alcohol, negligent driving, not giving particulars to an owner of damaged property and making a false statement for benefit.

In documents tendered to the court, police condemn the alleged acts of animal cruelty as “heinous” and “barbaric”.

Benjamin did not appear in Moss Vale Local Court on Tuesday but a letter to the court requested an adjournment for legal advice, which was granted.

Neither he nor his brother have entered pleas to the charges.

Both men will return to Moss Vale court on February 22.