Gumleaf
October 10th, 2008, 08:29 PM
Thursday 9th of October 2008 - The Age
A Connex employee traumatised when the train he was driving killed a teenage girl took out his pain and frustration on a pigeon that defecated on his shoulder.
Roger James Mifsud, 38, of Dandenong pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates Court today to one count of animal cruelty resulting in serious disablement after he was caught on CCTV lashing out at pigeons on the concourse at Flinders Street Station.
Prosecutor Sue Mills told the court that Mifsud was on a break on April 7 this year when the bird disturbed his coffee.
"He was having a coffee on the concourse in between runs for Connex when a bird defecated on his shoulder. The defendant got up and followed a group of pigeons and kicked the pigeons a number of times," she said.
The court heard that one pigeon was badly injured in the attack, with a damaged wing and leg and had to be put down at the Lort Smith lost dogs home.
Michael Kuzilny, for Mifsud, said his client was an animal lover who had suffered serious emotional problems since losing his disabled five-year-old daughter eight years ago and witnessing the death of a teenage girl on the train tracks at Greensborough.
"These were the impulse actions of a mentally unwell man," he said.
He told the court Mifsud was very sorry and had said: "I don't even know why I did this. I just had some bad thoughts about the girls on the track that day, the pigeons were all over me ... I love animals."
Magistrate Tony Parsons did not record a conviction but put Mifsud on a 12-month bond and ordered him to repay the cost of euthanasing the pigeon and donate $500 to the RSPCA.
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Reference: The Age
Date: Thursday 9th of October 2008
Article Link: http://www.theage.com.au/national/pigeon-poo-pushes-tragic-train-driver-over-the-edge-20081009-4xbp.html
A Connex employee traumatised when the train he was driving killed a teenage girl took out his pain and frustration on a pigeon that defecated on his shoulder.
Roger James Mifsud, 38, of Dandenong pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates Court today to one count of animal cruelty resulting in serious disablement after he was caught on CCTV lashing out at pigeons on the concourse at Flinders Street Station.
Prosecutor Sue Mills told the court that Mifsud was on a break on April 7 this year when the bird disturbed his coffee.
"He was having a coffee on the concourse in between runs for Connex when a bird defecated on his shoulder. The defendant got up and followed a group of pigeons and kicked the pigeons a number of times," she said.
The court heard that one pigeon was badly injured in the attack, with a damaged wing and leg and had to be put down at the Lort Smith lost dogs home.
Michael Kuzilny, for Mifsud, said his client was an animal lover who had suffered serious emotional problems since losing his disabled five-year-old daughter eight years ago and witnessing the death of a teenage girl on the train tracks at Greensborough.
"These were the impulse actions of a mentally unwell man," he said.
He told the court Mifsud was very sorry and had said: "I don't even know why I did this. I just had some bad thoughts about the girls on the track that day, the pigeons were all over me ... I love animals."
Magistrate Tony Parsons did not record a conviction but put Mifsud on a 12-month bond and ordered him to repay the cost of euthanasing the pigeon and donate $500 to the RSPCA.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reference: The Age
Date: Thursday 9th of October 2008
Article Link: http://www.theage.com.au/national/pigeon-poo-pushes-tragic-train-driver-over-the-edge-20081009-4xbp.html