A 45-year-old, married man was found guilty of bestiality by the Alex Magistrates’ Court and sentenced to five years wholly suspended for another five years.
A father of six from Alexandra was handed the sentence and a tongue-lashing during judgement on 20 October by Magistrate Syta Prinsloo.
Prinsloo said the offence for which the accused was caught is serious, unnatural and barbaric for a civilised society.
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“Worse still is that you are married and a role model to your six children and upsetting, as you will be expecting to engage sexually with your wife.
How will you explain this to her?” she asked, adding that his action and that of others like him with an uncontrollable desire for sex on the sight of any female, child or dog was a shameful sign of low life which ought to be stopped.
Prinsloo said he was saved from a custodial sentence befitting the seriousness of the crime by his legal representative’s plea of admission of guilt, personal circumstances and that he was a first-time offender. She further barred him from possessing a firearm.
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The man was caught red-handed during the early hours of 15 October. He claimed to have found two dogs mating while going to a shared toilet in the same area where the dog’s 10-year-old owner resides.
He said he was overcome by temptation, chased the male dog away and was having sex with the female one when he was caught, after the child responded to its barking, leading to his arrest.
The child is said to be traumatised and scheduled for counselling at the Victim Empowerment Unit at the Alex Police Station.
Pearl Nyamande of the unit said the vet whose report was presented in court, recommended the dog be sent to the SPCA for protective custody for fear of what may happen to it if returned to the scene of the crime.
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However, Nyamande expressed concern that the dog’s absence could traumatise the child even further and they will assist the family to consider taking it to their rural KwaZulu-Natal home where the owner will still have access to the dog.
