Martin Toohey: The Rocks dog bashing accused fronts court
It was the alleged offence that shocked Sydneysiders. Now the man accused of bashing a pooch so badly its front teeth fell out has faced court for the first time.
Central Sydney
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The man who police allege verbally abused a woman during a late-night tirade and then knocked her dog’s front teeth out has fronted court.
Martin Patrick Toohey, 63, sat quietly in the Downing Centre Local Court in a sharp suit and chequered tie during the brief mention on Wednesday morning before making a quick exit from the courthouse.
Police claim Toohey, who lives in a luxury townhouse in nearby Millers Point, was involved in an altercation with a woman at The Rocks on December 3.
The woman had sat on a bench about 10pm before her two dogs had approached Toohey’s pooch, police allege.
He is then alleged to have launched into a verbal tirade, took her phone when she tried to take a picture of him, threw it on the ground and stomped on it.
During the altercation, police further allege one of the woman’s dogs – a chinese crested powderpuff named Sootie – had its front teeth knocked out by Toohey.
Police say he walked away before returning to engage with bystanders who tried to help the woman.
Sootie is expected to make a full recovery from the injuries.
The allegedly callous attack captured on CCTV prompted outrage from community groups and animal rights activists, with a Sydney-wide appeal from police resulting in Toohey’s arrest at his home the next day.
Vision of the incident shows a grey-haired man police allege is the 63-year-old aggressively shouting in the woman’s face as she comforts her dogs.
Toohey was charged with conducting himself in an offensive manner and intentionally destroying property, but has yet to enter pleas to the charges.
His lawyer Dean Doran successfully adjourned his matter to be heard again later this month so Toohey could obtain further legal advice.
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