Accused animal abuser Daniel Brighton denies charges

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT A mobile pet zoo owner accused of hanging a dog from a tree and beating it with a mallet has maintained his innocence in Campbelltown Local Court today.

Daniel Brighton is facing animal abuse charges from the RSPCA.

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WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

A mobile pet zoo owner accused of hanging a dog from a tree and beating it with a mallet has maintained his innocence in Campbelltown Local Court today.

Mr Brighton is facing animal cruelty charges carrying a maximum prison sentence for his alleged actions which also include stabbing the dog with a pitchfork repeatedly.

The alleged offence occurred several hours after two dogs attacked a camel at Mr Brighton’s Farm Friends Minto Heights facility On January 14, 2016.

He is also the owner of Get Wild Animal Experiences.

Mr Brighton is the owner of Get Wild Animal Experiences.

Former employee Alana Doel yesterday told the court Mr Brighton had stabbed the dog with a pitchfork “up to six times” and later hung it from a tree by its leash before beating it “six to eight times” with a mallet.

During a cross-examination today, Mr Brighton’s lawyer inferred Miss Doel had made up the scenario and said by the time Miss Doel had arrived at the camel’s pen, Mr Brighton had already killed the dog with a shovel to protect the camel.

“None of this happened, Daniel Brighton did not stab the dog,” he said.

Alana Doel claims she saw Mr Brighton stab, hang and beat the dog.

“The only time Daniel Brighton suspended (the dog) from the tree was to help himself get it in the bag,” he said.

“That’s why it took you so very long to say anything about this.”

Miss Doel responded “no that’s wrong” to the accusations.

Mr Brighton told the court he had was woken in the early hours of the morning and discovered two dogs on the property which were already running to the exit.

Mr Brighton said he was woken again 45 minutes later and heard a “bizarre screaming noise”.

When he went to investigate Mr Brighton claimed he found two dogs in the camel’s pen, one clinging to the camel’s neck with its mouth.

He told the court he successfully scared the other dog off but despite using a PVC pipe to hit the attacking dog, it barely paid any attention.

The alleged abuse of the dog came after a camel at Mr Brighton’s property was attacked.

Mr Brighton’s partner Rick Taylor was assisting him, but went to go and wake up Miss Doel to help deal with the dog.

After several attempts to remove the dog, Mr Brighton claims he grabbed a nearby shovel and hit the dog but after he got it off the camel it began to growl and snap at him before attacking the camel again.

“There was blood everywhere, it just started to pour out of her (the camel) face,” he told the court.

Mr Brighton said he began hitting the dog again, aiming for its head and neck before then hitting the dog hard on the head in a downwards motion with the shovel.

“There was blood coming out of it and it was still for 10 seconds and then it started to move again, it was getting up,” he said.

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Mr Brighton said he then “whacked” the dog with the edge of the shovel on its neck twice and went to help the camel, believing the dog was dead.

Earlier in the day, Taronga Zoo veterinary pathologist Lydia Tong, who prepared a post-mortem report on the dog’s skeletal remains after it was exhumed from nearby bushland, could not determine the cause of death.

Magistrate Shane McAnulty adjourned the hearing until June when Mr Brighton will continue his testimony.