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CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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When you vote, you are voting on whether or not the punishment fit the crime, NOT on the severity of the case itself. If you feel the sentence was very weak, you would vote 1 star. If you feel the sentence was very strong, you would vote 5 stars.
Please vote honestly and realistically. These ratings will be used a a tool for many future programs, including a "People’s Choice" of best and worst sentencing, DA and judge "report cards", and more. Try to resist the temptation to vote 1 star on every case, even if you feel that 100 years in prison isn’t enough.
Case #11983 Rating: 4.0 out of 5
Thursday, Jul 26, 2007
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Van Chuyen Ta
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Police have broken up a cockfighting ring in south-western Sydney and rescued a flock of birds worth almost $1 million, or nearly $6000 each.
RSPCA inspectors and police raided a property at Prestons on July 26, 2007 and discovered 170 roosters in cages. Seven were so badly injured they needed emergency veterinary treatment.
A 40-year-old man was arrested at the property and charged with serious cruelty to animals, possessing items used to train animals to fight, six counts of failing to provide proper veterinary care and four counts of failing to prevent animal cruelty. He has been held in custody and will appear in Liverpool Local Court next month.
Case Updates
A man who hosted a cockfighting contest has been accused of "ghoulish barbarism" by a magistrate who punished him with hefty fines and community service.
Van Chuyen Ta, a 41-year-old immigrant from Vietnam, was arrested by police in an RSPCA raid on his property at Bernera Road, Prestons, in Sydney's south-west on July 22 last year.
Yesterday he pleaded guilty to eight offences under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Today in Liverpool Central Court, magistrate Chris O'Brien fined him a total of $3000 and ordered him to perform 70 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay $1560.40 to the RSPCA.
Earlier in evidence, police officers and RSPCA inspectors found four injured roosters, including two that were badly hurt and apparently put into containers and thrown in bushes in a hurry.
Police said a number of individuals departed rapidly in cars when the raid took place on the property, which included a purpose-built cock-fighting arena.
Mr O'Brien said both Parliament and the community deplored cruelty to animals.
The magistrate said that if Ta had been charged under the more serious Crimes Act he could have faced a $5500 fine or six months in jail or both.
He said that, while Ta had pleaded guilty and shown remorse "these offences involve gratuitous cruelty to animals and a planned, organised criminal activity".
The offence involved cruelty to defenceless creatures.
"Such cruelty by its very nature diminishes our community. It is worse when it purports to be entertainment but is nothing more than ghoulish barbarism," he said.
"Your behaviour in undertaking this course is completely unacceptable," the magistrate said. "If you come before the court again for a matter such as this, you can expect a more serious penalty." |
Source: Sydney Morning Herald - Jan 15, 2008
Update posted on Jan 14, 2008 - 11:24PM |
Four mutilated roosters were put down after suffering serious injuries in a cock-fight, a court heard in June 2007.
The roosters - some of which had their combs cut off - were allegedly discovered on a farm in Prestons.
Van Chuyen Ta is facing 12 charges relating to cock fighting.
Liverpool Local Court on June 23, 2007, heard police and the RSPCA received a tip-off a cock-fight was taking place at Ta's Bernera Rd property on Sunday.
It is alleged, when authorities arrived at 2.30pm, a number of cars were leaving the property.
Magistrate Mark Shepherd refused bail due to the serious nature of the offences and to prevent the risk of further offences.
Ta, a father of three, pleaded not guilty to all charges including six charges of being in charge of an animal and failing to provide veterinary treatment and one count of animal cruelty. |
Source: Daily Telegraph - June 24, 207
Update posted on Jan 14, 2008 - 10:00PM |
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