Man accused of 'beating a dog in a bag and slamming it off the ground' in Portadown gets bail at Craigavon court

Rolandas Kvederis, aged 49, from Thomas Street, Portadown appeared in custody in the dock Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday charged with causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

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A PSNI officer said police were objecting to bail telling the court that on Wednesday, May 14 this year just after 1pm, police responded to a report from a member of the public stating she had “observed a male kill a dog” described as a Jack Russell type.

She followed the male on foot and guided police to her location at the corner of West Street and North Street, Portadown where the male was detained by police and was “known to them”.

The defendant, who was banned from being intoxicated in a public place, smelled of alcohol and failed a preliminary breath test.

When police were speaking to the defendant he mumbled something about drinking in his girlfriend’s house and “the dog killed a small cat and he was taking the dog away”.

The officer said the vet revealed the dog had “suffered shock and had soreness around his limb areas”.

The defendant’s solicitor Mr Philip Reid said: “The dog isn’t dead, Your Worship. I think the initial reporting person thought he had killed the dog”.

The officer said the witness claimed to see the defendant “carrying the dog in a bag and walk into some bushes”. She claimed the defendant began to “beat the dog and slam it off the ground” before walking off.

He added: “The defendant stated to the witness as he walked off ‘You don’t know what you’ve done. I will get your own kind to kill you.’ subsequently leaving the witness in fear as she is aware of his associates.”

Another witness gave a similar account saying Kvederis was either “punching the bag with the dog in it or swinging it”.

The officer said the defendant denied the offence of cruelty. “He stated he was angry at the dog and had placed it into a bag with the intention of carrying it to the park and leaving it there.”

He said the dog belongs to his girlfriend’s daughter. He added that one of the witnesses took a video recording on their phone.

Mr Reid said that while he appreciated the police officer was reading from statements he felt the word “associates” was used and found it “very sinister”.

“There is no suggestion this man has any involvement in any type of organised crime,” said the solicitor.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “I am not taking it that way. What I am looking at is a man who has allegedly done something graphic and horrible to a dog and has also breached his bail.”

Referring to the bail breach and no drinking in a public place, Mr Reid said: “The breach is accepted. He is a man who has a difficulty with drink.”

Mr Reid said: “The account he has given is that the dog seems to have killed a cat. What he said was he was going to release the dog. The reason he had it in a bag is to stop the dog from biting and scratching at him. His intention was to leave the dog there. He completely denies beating the dog. I am not sure if there is any suggestion the dog has any real injuries.”

An officer said he saw body worn footage of the video and “couldn’t see what was really happening”.

He added the vet’s report stated the dog ‘appeared to show moderate symptoms of shock, heart rate was raised’. “Patient seemed very sore upon manipulation and palpation of both pelvic limbs particularly the left hand side as well as pain above the pelvis.”

Mr Reid explained that the dog was old and there could be underlying issues. “His actions, in any event by his own account, are not entirely satisfactory but there are levels and it may be at a much lower level than first indicated and that the complainants perceived it to be.

"The footage is important,” he said.

Regarding the defendant’s record, District Judge Michael Ranaghan said it “wasn’t the worst” he’d seen.

The officer told the court there was only one previous bail breach after which police hadn’t objected to bail.

District Judge Ranaghan said: “Even putting a dog in a bag is an act of the utmost cruelty. What he is then said to have done is disgusting, inhumane behaviour. As apparently intelligent human beings, we do have a choice as to whether we attack a dog or not. All of this is prefaced by the fact that these are allegations and there is an awful lot this court does not know."

Referring to Kvederis “limited criminal record” he said: “I will give Mr Kvederis the benefit of the doubt and release him on bail.”

The defendant’s bail conditions include not to have any pets under his control or in his property and to have no contact with the witnesses. He was released on his own court bail of £500.

The PSNI officer said the matter was “all over social media”, adding “For the defendant’s own safety he would be safer not in that area.”

Kvederis is also banned from the Corcrain and Westland Drive areas of Portadown.

"It’s all over social media. I can’t control that,” said the district judge adding that if there is any “pursuance” of Kvederis “that is not right” as these matters need to be pursued via the court.

The case was adjourned until May 30.