A Fife man who hauled a child’s pet rabbit from its hutch and threatened to “slaughter” it as the toddler watched on from an upstairs window has narrowly been spared imprisonment.
Shane Wren carried out the wicked act on the animal after being refused entry to a woman’s home because he turned up there drunk.
After pleading guilty to a pair of charges in April, sentence was deferred for background reports into the 32-year-old.
He has been sentenced to a community payback order and restriction of liberty order at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Alison McKay ordered Wren to complete 280 hours of unpaid work and placed him on a 7pm to 7am curfew for six months.
She also placed him under supervision for two years and issued strict conduct requirements to take steps to tackle his substance abuse as well as to complete the Caledonian Men’s Programme, a scheme to rehabilitate domestic offenders.
Rabbit ‘distressed’
At a previous hearing, procurator fiscal depute Jill Currie said Wren “took issue” with not being allowed entry and grabbed the rabbit from the garden.
The depute fiscal said: “Both parties (the woman and a child) heard the accused threaten to slaughter the bunny on two occasions.
“He then reached into the hutch and grabbed the rabbit by its neck and held it up so that both parties could see this.
“I viewed footage and it’s clear the rabbit is distressed and trying to get away.”
Ms Currie said Wren took the rabbit away, to cries from the child asking what would happen to their pet.
The depute fiscal continued: “The rabbit was returned to the property two days later.
“The complainer states she returned to the property and found the rabbit unharmed and returned to the hutch.”
Accused ‘ashamed’
Wren also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and causing fear or alarm by repeatedly uttering threats of violence towards the animal in the presence of the woman and child at a property in the Leven area on March 26.
Defence lawyer David McLaughlin said Wren is “disgusted” by how he behaved that day and that video footage of the incident was shown to his client’s mother.
Mr McLaughlin said: “He is ashamed of his behaviour.”
The solicitor said Wren was unaware the child was watching at the time.
He added: “Once he sobered up he returned the rabbit.”
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