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• Ronan Apiti, 24, was sentenced for animal cruelty after severely beating his family dog, Buck.
• Judge Russell Collins sentenced Apiti to 12 months of supervision and 60 hours of community work.
• Apiti is banned from owning or caring for a dog for five years.

A Lower Hutt man who drunkenly beat the family dog so badly that he permanently disfigured it told police the dog was like one of his children and “that’s how they do it in the West Coast”.

Ronan Apiti, 24, appeared in the Hutt Valley District Court this afternoon, having earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of animal cruelty and another of breaching a police safety order.

Judge Russell Collins said he accepted Apiti was “gutted” and “distraught” by what he had done to the dog, Buck.

“You inflicted a very nasty piece of cruelty on your dog,” he said.

“I’m not here making judgment on you as a person. You can make that judgment when you look at yourself in the mirror in the morning and decide that you don’t want to be a guy that inflicts pain like that on a helpless animal.”

According to the summary of facts, Apiti was at home on January 30 when he “consumed a large amount of alcohol and became irate”.

“Using his fists and various household objects, the defendant beat Buck around the head and body,” it said.

“The defendant did this with enough force that Buck’s jaw was broken, causing permanent disfiguration. He continued to beat Buck, resulting in several lacerations to his legs and body.

“The defendant’s family became frightened of his actions and contacted police, who arrived a short time later.”

Police advised Apiti that he was being detained for the purposes of a police safety order, but he retreated into the house, slamming doors. He hid in the bathroom until police found and detained him.

“In explanation, the defendant stated that Buck is like one of his children and ‘that’s how they do it in the West Coast’,” the summary said.

Judge Collins started today’s sentencing by telling defence lawyer John Dean that he would not be sending Apiti to prison, noting his “extremely limited [criminal] history”. Apiti has just one previous conviction for drink-driving.

“He needs help, and some community work can be his contribution back to the harm he’s caused,” the judge said.

Dean said he hoped the probation department could direct Apiti to serve some community work with the SPCA.

Ronan Apiti was sentenced in the Hutt Valley District Court. File photo / Melissa Nightingale

“A dog should be a man’s best friend. If you order him to not have any association with animals for the rest of his life, that would be too harsh,” Dean said.

Speaking to Apiti, Judge Collins said: “You drink far too much, quite frankly.

“You tell the probation officer what you drink and you don’t see it as a problem. Well, it is a problem on any view of the matter, Mr Apiti.”

He said Apiti needed to “greatly reduce” his drinking.

“You will hopefully get the help to find a better way to spend your days.”

He sentenced Apiti to 12 months of supervision, during which he must undergo a drug and alcohol assessment, a non-violence course and counselling.

He ordered him to do 60 hours of community work and banned him from owning or caring for a dog for five years.

Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.