Dildo-wielding man in custody for violent attack on woman and her dog

An Australian mother was bludgeoned with a rubber dildo wrapped in duct tape by a home invader who also killed her little pet dog by strapping it up to a palm tree in a public park, a court heard yesterday.

The alleged attacker wore a leather mask and his attack was premeditated and particularly violent, police said. The 49-year-old victim from Andergrove has not been indentified. She was bruised and distressed and was upset by the death of her pet dog named Apso, a friendly little 15-month-old dog that may have bitten his attacker before he was killed.

In another bizarre twist to the shocking case, blood in Apso's mouth will be DNA tested to see if it belongs to the man who allegedly killed him. Shaun Michael Burke, 38, appeared in the Magistrate's Court yesterday charged with burglary, armed robbery and wilfully and unlawfully killing a dog at night.



Prosecutor Sergeant Sabine Scott said it will be alleged that a woman, 49, and her son, 19, were at home when a woman came to the front door about 3am on Monday and distracted them while Burke allegedly broke in. The son was chased through the house, into the back yard and, fearing for his life, he jumped over a fence to escape. The woman was hit with a dildo which “appeared to be wrapped in such a way with duct tape to make it a better bludgeoning weapon”, Sgt Scott said. The female victim eventually fled on foot.

Sgt Scott said the dog was taken to a nearby public park where it was taped with duct tape by the head and chest to a palm tree and died of asphyxia.

Investigating officers recovered the dog's body, found a leather mask and duct tape in a vehicle and more duct tape in Burke's pocket. Magistrate Ross Risson remanded Burke in custody overnight and will consider the bail application today.