Saturday, October 18, 2008

New Zealand man gets community work for cruelty to mouse

Former Devonport resident Lindsay Rowles has plead guilty to charges relating to a February 8 attack on a pet mouse.

Rowles, 54, appeared at the North Shore District Court on Friday facing charges of cruelty to an animal and offensive behaviour relating to the incident as well as unrelated drink-driving, drug and disorderly behaviour charges.

On February 8, a woman was walking along a Devonport road carrying her son's pet mouse, Nibbles, in her blouse. She walked across the road to to Rowles' home to see his wife when he noticed the mouse. He pulled the mouse by its tail from the woman's top before lowering it into his mouth.

The mouse wriggled as Rowles closed his mouth, pretending to eat it while the distraught victim and his wife pleaded he take the mouse out. He flicked the saliva-covered and motionless Nibbles back into the victim's hand.

Judge Barbara Morris said Rowles' actions can only be described as bizzare. She said it was very cruel that the woman was forced to watch her family pet be killed. "The trauma would have been significant."

She sentenced Rowles to 180 hours' community work, 12 months' supervision and to undergo drug and alcohol counselling.

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