Peter John McMinn sentenced for Royalla kangaroo killings on TikTok
A NSW man has been sentenced for his role in a deplorable display of animal cruelty in which he was a part of a group which ran over and killed kangaroos in a car and posted it online.
Canberra Star
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A Googong man who was filmed killing multiple kangaroos has narrowly avoided jail.
Peter John McMinn’s deplorable actions which resulted in the death of several animals on April 18, 2020 was described as “beyond belief” in Queanbeyan Local Court on Monday.
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In his sentencing, Magistrate Roger Clisdell condemned the actions of 21-year-old and his co-defendants as “despicable beyond intent”.
“To enjoy that slaughter is inhuman,” Mr Clisdell said.
The court heard the heinous details of the early morning rampage where McMinn and four teenagers were in a car that ran over several adult and juvenile kangaroos in Royalla while they jeered each other on.
Mr Clisdell said the group’s vehicle drove over roundabouts and off the road to deliberately hit the native animals, with some being killed with a hammer.
McMinn at one stage took over the driving of the vehicle, Mr Clisdell said.
“I hope you coat hanger yourself on the fence you f----t c--t,” a voice said on the video.
Abhorrent footage of the killings was uploaded to TikTok which was discovered by police, leading to the group to be charged.
In a turn of events, the court heard the four juveniles told police it was McMinn’s idea, a concept Mr Clisdell said he didn’t believe.
Mr Clisdell said they threw Mr McMinn like a kangaroo under a car “faster than a speeding bullet”.
The court heard McMinn’s other co-defendants were given custodial sentences in the Queanbeyan Children’s Court for their roles but they were thrown out by the District Court after they appealed their convictions.
Submissions by McMinn’s defence said the Googong man was “easily influenced” at the time and had been suffering from an undiagnosed condition of ADHD.
The Queanbeyan Magistrate said there was a huge difference from culling animals on a private property to running over animals and killing them with a hammer while “gloating and laughing”.
Mr Clisdell said as much he would like to give McMinn considerable time, he had to treat the 21-year-old in similar fashion to his accomplices.
McMinn pleaded guilty to torture, beat and cause death of an animal and was sentenced to a community corrections order of two years.
A conviction was recorded.