Alleged dog basher Mark Martinaj applies for gag order on name
A man who was allegedly caught on CCTV bashing a family pet to death with a metal pole has launched a bid to have his identity suppressed.
East
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A Kilsyth man who allegedly beat a tiny support dog to death with a metal pole has made a bid to have his name kept out of the media.
Mark Martinaj appeared in Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on April 29 via video-link facing animal cruelty charges.
A swarm of animal lovers packed out the eastern suburbs court on Tuesday in support of the Wood family — owners of the beloved Millie — both in person and online.
More than 40 people showed up in person, leaving no seats bare in the public gallery.
Tension reached boiling point when Mr Martinaj’s lawyer requested his client be allowed to appear via video-link on the following date because of “a security matter”.
Magistrate Jennifer Tregent said it was the “expectation that all parties were physically present”.
The court heard Mr Martinaj was also applying for a suppression order on his name, the hearing for which was adjourned to Friday alongside a contest mention of the matter.
The alleged incident was caught in shocking CCTV footage in December last year, where Mr Martinaj allegedly trapped Millie and another dog in his driveway before allegedly battering her four times with a metal pole.
Millie died from her injuries before she was allegedly placed in a van and dumped at an unknown location.
The Wood family was left shocked and distraught over the alleged incident, with Marcus Wood saying the CCTV footage was one of the most distressing things he’d ever seen.
In December, Mr Wood said the family was yet to get the remains of their cherished dog back.
Millie was a support dog for Mr Wood’s 10-year-old daughter who has anxiety and autism.
Police arrested Mr Martinaj at his home on December 5, after which he was charged with two counts of animal cruelty and one count of theft before being released on bail.
He will return to Ringwood court on May 2.
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