Luke Paul: Deniliquin man suffocates cats for ‘revenge’ after dog’s death
Luke Paul said he felt “satisfied” after trapping his neighbours’ cats in an esky and suffocating them because it was “revenge” after his dog died from parvovirus.
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A Riverina man suffocated his neighbours’ cats in an esky as “revenge” because he blamed the cats for supposedly killing his dog by transmitting a virus.
Luke Paul, 24, of Deniliquin, appeared via video link in Wagga Local Court today when he pleaded guilty to torturing animals to death, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, armed with intent to commit an indictable offence, destroy property and threaten to destroy or damage another person’s property.
Court documents state that about 8pm on Friday, two cats wandered into Paul’s yard where he grabbed them before placing them in an airtight esky to suffocate.
The next morning, he threw the dead cats over the fence into his neighbour's yard.
About 3.30pm yesterday, the cats’ owner — 47-year-old Andrew Kirby — allegedly approached Paul and a fight broke out.
Paul punched his neighbour in the face before Kirby allegedly threw numerous items at him, including a garden edger and concrete paver.
Paul then armed himself with a block splitter while Kirby allegedly grabbed an axe handle to strike each other.
Kirby allegedly used the axe handle to also Paul’s brother at the scene.
The older man then went back inside his house and locked his doors before Paul smashed the security door and a window.
Police attended a short time later when they arrested and took the two men to Deniliquin Police Station.
During a police interview, Paul admitted to all the offences and said that if the cats came onto his property again, he would suffocate them again because he felt “satisfaction” and “revenge”.
He said he “wanted them to suffer the way my dog did,” court documents state.
About six months before the incident, Paul’s dog died from a paralysis disease and he blames the cats for transmitting parvovirus to his dog.
Asked about being armed with the block splitter, he told police: “I was going to hurt or kill him … to f**k him up”.
“They continue, we will retaliate in the worst possible way. We’ll burn them alive. I’m not joking. We will break into that house. I don’t need my wood splitter. I’ll kick the door in. I’ll take my tomahawk.”
Kirby also appeared via video link in court today for the charges of armed with intent to commit indictable offence, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and breaching an apprehended violence order.
He has not enter pleas to those charges.
Both men have been granted bail and their matters are scheduled before the courts again on June 2.