A South Australian man has admitted to committing a sexual act on a friend’s dog but was spared additional jail time.
According to NCA Newswire, 51-year-old Anthony Stokes pleaded guilty on August 18 in an Adelaide court to one count of committing bestiality. Judge Timothy Heffernan said the incident, occurring between January and September 2019, involved a dog belonging to a woman Stokes had met the year prior.
Stokes had been staying at her house while helping her move when he filmed himself performing sexual acts with and on the canine. The woman found said videos on an SD card in her home in June 2020.
Upon not recognizing the SD card, she further investigated, discovering the videos it stored. The video, as per NCA Newswire, captured Stokes touching the dog’s genitals and encouraging the dog to lick his genitals too.
The dog owner, who said she was “distressed and sickened” by the clips, contacted police who later arrested Stokes in November 2020.
In the U.S., all but four states have criminal statutes against bestiality, making the offense either a misdemeanor or felony. Hawaii, New Mexico, West Virginia, and Wyoming are the only states which do not have criminal statutes against it.
The court heard how Stokes had been using methamphetamines and had lost his job at the time. Despite not excusing the act, the judge explained how drug use would have impacted Stokes’ decision to commit the act.
“This offense occurred on an occasion when you were significantly under the influence of methamphetamines,” he said. “You did something that you would not, without the drugs, ever have contemplated doing.”
According to the judge, Stokes has shown shame and embarrassment of his own behavior in the time since. “It has been apparent to me since your first appearance in this court that you are profoundly ashamed and embarrassed by your conduct,” he said.
“That you were under the influence of methamphetamine does not excuse your conduct, it does not make it any less serious a breach of the law than it is, but it does perhaps explain what would otherwise be unfathomable behavior on your part.”
“There is no evidence that the animal was in any distress or pain because of your actions.
“I am satisfied that you were not motivated in committing the offense by any genuine sexual attraction to the dog but rather by the impact of your methylamphetamine’s intoxication.”
The judge initially sentenced Stokes to three months imprisonment but after applying credit for his early plea, it was reduced to two months and 17 days. His shortened sentence was then suspended subject to a good behavior bond.
