Young rural NSW man charged with horrific animal abuse captured on video

An Aussie community has been left in shock after sickening videos emerged appearing to show a young man torturing animals.

Police have arrested and charged a man in connection with animal cruelty offences.

A 21-year-old rural NSW man has been charged with alleged animal cruelty offences after clips allegedly depicting “deeply disturbing” animal abuse began circulating on social media.

The distressing footage was first shared on the Broken Hill Snake Catchers Facebook page by reptile catcher and conservationist Ash McInnes.

The clip, which has been heavily edited by Mr McInnes to “make it viewable”, appears to show a man running over an injured kangaroo’s head with a dirt bike, punching a kangaroo and kicking baby animals.

The man, who can not be identified for legal reasons, is a local who plays for North Broken Hill Football Club, according to locals.

He had been working on several different properties during the time the clips were taken and has since deleted all social media since the footage went public.

The 21-year-old is photographed at his local football club. Picture: Facebook

The accused is pictured with a pet kelpie. Picture: TikTok

Branding the footage “deeply disturbing” and “deplorable”, Mr McInnes urged the public to come forward if they had witnessed cruelty against animals.

“Please, I beg of you. If you know someone who behaves like this, report them to the police and the RSPCA as this kind of behaviour is sickening,” he said.

The post gathered over 600 comments from outraged Australians.

Horrific footage has emerged depicting animal abuse in regional NSW. Picture: Facebook/Broken Hill Snake Catchers

A 21-year-old man allegedly ran over an injured kangaroo’s head, punched a kangaroo and kicked baby animals. Picture: Facebook/Broken Hill Snake Catchers

The footage is believed to have been shared on the social media app Snapchat over the course of three years, according to time stamps on the original clips.

Mr McInnes says he first became aware of the alleged abuse after people began saving the footage, which eventually ended up on a Broken Hill Community page on Facebook.

Knowing the clips were going to be taken down, Mr McInnes saved copies of his own, declaring, “It has to get out.”

“As someone who has spent 25 years of his life dedicated to conservation and animal education, it really is appalling to see defenceless and harmless animals (allegedly) being treated this way,” he said.

Broken Hill local and snake catcher Ash McInnes urged the public to report the behaviour. Picture: ABC Broken Hill/Jonathon Poulson

The NSW Rural Crime Prevention Team issued a statement confirming that a Broken Hill man has been arrested and charged with alleged animal cruelty offences.

Following a joint investigation by officers from Barrier Police District and the Rural Crime Prevention Team, a house in Broken Hill was searched at 4pm, April 1.

He was arrested and charged with five counts of torture, beat and cause prolonged suffering to an animal, police said.

He is expected to appear at Broken Hill Local Court on May 13.

Originally published as Young rural NSW man charged with horrific animal abuse captured on video