Clarke Menzies sentenced after assaulting dog with a blow torch

A man has avoided time behind bars after he attacked a pet dog with a blowtorch during a drug-fuelled attack on his partner over cat food.

A man has received a four-month suspended jail sentence and a 12-month good behaviour order for two series of violent crimes including attacking a pet dog with a blow torch.

Clarke John Menzies, 46, pleaded guilty to one charge of animal cruelty, one charge of common assault and two counts of damaging property not exceeding $5000.

The court heard Menzies was in relationship with the first victim for almost 20 years and had three children with her.

Clarke John Menzies has been sentenced to a suspended jail sentence and a 12 month good behaviour order. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

The statement of facts tendered to the ACT Magistrates Court details the first altercation on February 16 which began when the victim asked Menzies about the cat food he had bought for the household.

An argument broke out and the victim moved away from the bedroom into the living room to avoid Menzies throwing objects at her.

The defendant pulled down a canvas artwork hanging from the wall and used the pole section to hit the victim’s face and body, and attempted to hit her crotch, court documents state.

He returned to the living area where the victim was cowering in the corner of the room and hit her hands and forearms as he attempted to hit her crotch.

One of the pet dogs became agitated and came to the defence of the woman, biting Menzies on the leg. The dog went over to the victim who was sitting on a sofa in the living room when Menzoes returned with a butane blowtorch, which he directed towards the dog’s face, singing its fur.

The second offence occurred in the early hours of May 29 while Menzies was on bail for the crimes committed in February.

He went to home of his former partner’s mother and trashed property on her front lawn, including solar lights and the victim’s car the court heard.

Defence lawyer Emma Bayliss said her client had used methamphetamine and cannabis frequently at the time of the offences.

She said her client was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was not medicated at the time of offending but had recently become engaged with mental health support.

Ms Bayliss told the court her client was a victim of family violence at the hands of his father as a child.

In sentencing Special Magistrate Margaret Hunter said Menzies’s drug use and failure to manage his mental illness had created a dangerous set of circumstances.

“You are very lucky because I considered a full-time jail sentence,” she said.

“Its just appalling behaviour. Mental health isn’t an excuse, you should have done something about it.”

His suspended jail sentence was backdated to October 25 to account for the 36 days he had spent in remand.