Man filmed family dogs licking his penis because he was ‘bored’, sent videos on Snapchat

A man has revealed why he filmed an X-rated Snapchat video involving his parents’ two pet dogs and sent it to a woman. WARNING: Graphic

A man charged with bestiality was handed down a suspended sentence, despite admitting he committed the offence at least once because he was “bored”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

WARNING: Graphic

A man who sent videos of his parents’ dogs licking his erect penis told a court he did it because he was “bored”.

Ashley Scott Dennis, 30, was sentenced in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday after previously pleading guilty to one count of bestiality.

The court heard the man filmed the video in two segments showing the two border collies licking his genitalia and sent the footage on Snapchat to a female he was courting last year.

Dennis was arrested by police for unrelated charges on January 8, 2020 when officers became aware he was in contact with the woman via the social media application.

The court heard officers later found the footage as well as 147 other images depicting bestiality, animal sex toys and selfies masturbating on his mobile phone.

The videos were filmed in a work office space inside a shed at his parent’s property in Armagh, in the state’s Mid-North, where an opened jar of peanut butter was also found by officers.

During his sentencing, Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal said Dennis used the condiment to entice the animals to lick his penis.

“You admitted to having a dog lick your penis on one occasion around 12 to 18 months prior (to being arrested) and said that was because you were bored,” the magistrate said.

“Many people experience boredom at some time. Very few engage in this type of behaviour.

“When asked about the other images of bestiality that were on your phone, you said you just downloaded them to look but denied that those images aroused you.”

Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal heard the matter and handed down a suspended sentence. Picture: Supplied

Defence lawyer Ben Armstrong argued that his client suffered from social isolation, low self worth and an intellectual disability and had not had any “meaningful relationships with the opposite sex”.

The court also heard Dennis suffered from mental health issues and had attempted to take his own life on a number of occasions.

Mr Armstrong said sexually explicit photographs were shared between the woman and his client for money, but argued the offending did not inflict any cruelty to the dogs and was committed in privacy.

Citing a psychological report, the lawyer asked Ms Hribal to hand down a bond that allowed his client to participate in rehabilitation programs recommended by the mental health professional.

“His low IQ … coupled with impulse control would adequately explain in context the social isolation (and) why this offence arose,” Mr Armstrong said.

“Effectively, these (vidoes) were designed to get this woman’s attention, which it appears it certainly did.

“But, those circumstances of isolation, an intellectual disability mean my client’s unfortunately taken a unique approach in his attempt at courtship with this young lady.”

The man appeared at Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dean Martin

Mr Armstrong added that his client felt “a level of humiliation” because of the offence.

Lucy Hurley, for the prosecution, told the court a jail term was appropriate for Dennis’s offending but did not oppose a suspended sentence because of his intellectual disability.

She said he was aware his offending was illegal.

“Whilst there is no apparent harm to the animals concerned, the seriousness of this offence is that the conduct is morally abhorrent to society’s standards,” Ms Hurley said.

“Given that the offending occurs against animals, who are silent victims, detection of these offences is difficult.”

Prior to his sentencing, Ms Hurley said the defendant only had one prior conviction for theft and was not considered a serious repeat offender.

Because of his early guilty plea, Dennis was entitled to a maximum sentencing discount of 15 per cent that Ms Hribal granted in full, sentencing him to five months and two days imprisonment.

She then suspended the sentence to a three year $1000 good behaviour bond.

“The conduct you engaged in was entirely inappropriate … it must be strongly discouraged and I must discourage you from embarking on any further conduct of this type.”

Under Dennis’s bail conditions, he will remain supervised by community corrections officers for two years.

He was also ordered to be assessed if he was suitable to attend the sexual offender treatment program and must undertake it if he was, as well as participate in any other suitable psychological treatment.