Tony Cottle: Pakenham alleged dog abuser lets fly at magistrate
A man accused of keeping 18 pooches and puppies in faeces-filled pens at his Pakenham property lost his cool in an online court.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
A hound owner who allegedly kept 12 unregistered dogs and six puppies in terrible conditions on his block of land has gone wild in a court hearing.
On Thursday Tony Cottle abused a Dandenong magistrate after he granted media access to documents outlining a range of cruelty-related allegations being made against him.
Cardinia Shire Council say Mr Cottle kept 16 spaniels in “pens covered in mud, urine and faeces” with water bowls “full of slime”.
The council also allege there was a “large pile of faeces in the corner of each pen” and an “overpowering” odour emanating from the property.
The 64-year-old is pleading not guilty to a raft of charges including failing to register a dog, allowing an animal at large, failing to provide clean water and failing to ensure land was kept in a sanitary condition.
Court documents allege in July 2019 the shire conducted a search of Mr Cottle’s Pakenham property after receiving a number of complaints.
He was not present during the inspection whereby investigators allegedly found 10 adult brittany spaniel type adult dogs and six puppies that appeared to be under eight weeks old being kept in substandard conditions.
Two great danes were in a separate outbuilding that couldn’t be accessed by the inspector.
The council says none of the 18 dogs were registered at the time.
Mr Cottle is only allowed four adult dogs on his 16ha block of land.
His defence lawyer told the court there were serious errors in both the way the search was carried out and its legal status, and his client was vehemently fighting the charges.
Magistrate Greg Connellan said there had been a media request for access to charges and summaries, and he would grant it under the Open Courts Act.
Mr Cottle became enraged at this and abused Mr Connellan.
“A piece of sh** you are,” Mr Cottle said.
“They (the media) have defamed me and destroyed my life, this is bullsh**.”
Mr Connellan took the tirade in his stride, politely asking Mr Cottle’s lawyer to “please have a discussion” with his client on the appropriate way to address a court.
The case has been set down for a two-day hearing to be held in October.
