Convicted ferret torturers Thomas Sorahan and Adriano Larobina have now been sentenced for their crime.
The RSPCA have put out a media release applauding the sentence:
- “RSPCA ACT today applauded the firm stand of the legal system in the ACT region to appropriately punish two men found guilty of animal cruelty. Sentencing the men to ten months jail with a five month non-parole period, the decision by the magistrate represents one of the most severe punishments for animal cruelty in the ACT region in some years.
“This represents a breakthrough for RSPCA ACT in fighting for appropriate punishment for animal cruelty,” RSPCA ACT CEO Michael Linke said, “I can only hope that this firm stand will act as a deterrent to others. This case was one of the most grotesque I have seen in my time as RSPCA ACT CEO and I am confident that the community will support this sentence as an appropriate response to sick and disgusting acts of cruelty against animals.”
Mr Linke has long sought to raise awareness of the identified link between cruelty against animals and subsequent offenses against people. Referring to the “cycle of violence”, Mr Linke said today that he hoped the early conviction and sentencing in relation to animal cruelty would act as a deterrent to future offences.”
The two plan to appeal both sentence and conviction.
UPDATED: I have it on good authority that the defence tried to argue that the previous discussion of these two on RiotACT constituted a punishment from the community already delivered. That’s something we’re all going to have to think about. Personally I’m relieved this argument did not sway Magistrate Brian Van Zuylen.
FURTHER UPDATE: The ABC has more.