Janie Marion: Nowra woman to fight 45 animal abuse charges in three day hearing
A convicted animal abuser is set to fight 45 new animal abuse charges, after allegations arose claiming she kept more than 70 animals in “cramped, unhygienic” and “dirty” conditions on her south coast property.
The South Coast News
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A NSW south coast woman charged with a staggering 45 animal abuse offences, arising from allegations she kept dozens of animals in “dirty, unhygienic” conditions, is set to fight the litany of charges in a multi-day hearing.
Convicted animal abuser Janine Marion has denied allegations she kept more than 70 animals, including some that were injured, in cramped and dirty conditions on her Nowra property.
The 53-year-old’s case was mentioned in the Nowra Local Court on Tuesday after she pleaded not guilty to two counts of hinder or resist police, 20 counts of failing to comply with disqualification order, 15 counts of committing an act of aggravated cruelty upon an animal, nine counts of being in charge of an animal and failing to provide vet treatment and one count of fail to complying with court order by possessing an animal.
The court heard it would be alleged that Marion – who was convicted in 2018 for previous animal abuse offences – kept a number of animals at her Nowra property in poor conditions between late 2023 and mid 2024.
The court heard Marion was hit with strict orders in 2013 barring her from owning any animals for five years after a number of offences from failing to provide proper and sufficient food and water to dogs and confining cats in cages insufficient for exercise.
Marion broke the order in 2018, leading to a conviction and a further barring of her owning pets for an additional 10 years.
The 53-year-old has returned to court again, allegedly breaking the new orders by keeping 72 animals on her Nowra property.
Police allege she had custody of four ducks, five quails, 20 guinea pigs, four turtles, six dogs, eight rabbits, one cat and 20 birds between October 2023 and June 2024 and all allegedly kept in “dirty, unhygienic, cramped” conditions.
Police allege the storage ranged from cages which were too small, to allegedly keeping birds in a shed with a cat.
Police and RSPCA visited Marion’s property on June 13 after reports she was failing to comply with conditions stating she did not own any animals.
The court previously heard Marion allegedly hindered officers during this visit.
She was later charged and granted conditional bail, which was allegedly broken on October 8 when she failed to appear in court, blaming the absence on ill health.
The failure to appear resulted in Marion being placed into custody on remand, where she remains after a failed bid for bail in the Nowra Local Court in November.
In the same court on Tuesday, the RSPCA prosecutor said Marion’s upcoming hearing would likely last three days.
Marion’s lawyer, Rose Lambert agreed, stating the hearing would likely run for a number of days.
Magistrate Geraldine Beattie adjourned the case for January 21 next year to confirm a hearing start date.
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