A New Zealand man has been sentenced to community detention for trying to strangle a pet goat in his frustration after losing his house keys.
Matthew Batt, a 26 year-old Westport resident, flew into an uncontrollable rage when he lost his house keys, according to a New Zealand Herald report. He smashed the windows of his home and then, apparently not realising he no longer needed his keys, attacked the goat at his mother's house nearby.
Batt attempted to strangle the goat and bashed its head against a wall, but luckily it managed to escape before he could do it any serious damage. Batt then turned on his sister, throwing a glass at her before his grandmother sprayed him with oven cleaner.
Sentencing Batt for animal cruelty, assault and breach of the Medicines Act, the judge said "your behaviour is a disgrace but there is more to this than meets the eye", referring to Batt's substance abuse and unstable upbringing. He must serve four months' community detention, 200 hours community service, 12 months' supervision and he's banned from driving for 15 months.
More cheerily, his grandmother and sister have forgiven him. No word on the goat.
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Matthew Batt, a 26 year-old Westport resident, flew into an uncontrollable rage when he lost his house keys, according to a New Zealand Herald report. He smashed the windows of his home and then, apparently not realising he no longer needed his keys, attacked the goat at his mother's house nearby.
Batt attempted to strangle the goat and bashed its head against a wall, but luckily it managed to escape before he could do it any serious damage. Batt then turned on his sister, throwing a glass at her before his grandmother sprayed him with oven cleaner.
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A relieved goat yesterday |
Sentencing Batt for animal cruelty, assault and breach of the Medicines Act, the judge said "your behaviour is a disgrace but there is more to this than meets the eye", referring to Batt's substance abuse and unstable upbringing. He must serve four months' community detention, 200 hours community service, 12 months' supervision and he's banned from driving for 15 months.
More cheerily, his grandmother and sister have forgiven him. No word on the goat.