Man who bashed alpaca to death free
The man convicted of bashing two alpacas to death has been sentenced to six months jail, but was granted immediate parole meaning he won't spend a minute behind bars.
Wayne Charles Hatwig pleaded guilty to two counts of injuring animals and one count of trespassing at Caboolture Magistrates Court.
Mr Hatwig was ordered by Magistrate Jennifer Batts that he was not permitted to own an animal for two years.
"It is a sickening offence of animal cruelty," Police prosecutor Tegan Smith told the court.
In October last year, Mr Hatwig and two juveniles entered Caboolture State High School's farm in October last year and gave the animals a beating with a metal fence post.
The alpacas, known as Harrison and Harley were the school's pets on the farm.
CCTV of the sickening incident was posted on YouTube just after it happened, and the perpetrators were arrested soon after.
"The footage shows the terror the animals must have felt... It's not a case of one strike - it is a prolonged attack," Ms Smith said.
"The defendant continued to strike even after the animals were on the ground. The offender acted with extreme violence."
Mr Hatwig's lawyer Kurt Fowler argued the attack was not planned by the defendant.
"If this was premeditated, they would have left the house armed - that's not what occurred," he said.
