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The Middleton businessman who slaughtered six miniature horses at Clayton Bay in December 2013 may be out of jail in 18 months.
In sentencing in Adelaide’s District Court on Wednesday, November 26, Judge Paul Cuthbertson said Michael Martin John O’Connell’s act was “particularly nasty and vicious”.
The slaughtered miniature horses - owned by Melvyn and Julie Jackson - were discovered by staff on Saturday, December 21, 2013 at their Clayton Bay property.
Mr and Mrs Jackson are horse breeders and own Jacksons Miniature Horses.
O’Connell, 51, had pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated serious criminal trespass and one count of property damage - the property being the horses.
Judge Cuthbertson handed O’Connell a three-year, six month jail sentence for the criminal trespass charge, and 18-months for property damage. These terms will be served concurrently, with O’Connell able to apply for parole after 18 months.
In sentencing, Judge Cuthbertson said O’Connell killed the horses as an act of revenge on the Jacksons who he felt owed him money for work. The judge said O'Connell had been employed to do work worth $200,000 for the Jacksons, but there had been a "business dispute" and the last payment of $37,000 had been withheld
Judge Cuthbertson said O’Connell had been at his firm’s Christmas party on the night of December 20, and left intoxicated and drove to the Clayton Bay property.
“There, in the dead of the night, you slaughtered the six horses,” he said.
In his sentencing, Judge Cuthbertson took into account the damage to O’Connell’s business and reputation.
“You have lost a good reputation… that is a significant penalty," he said.
He said O’Connell’s business had been destroyed through the publicity of the case.
Judge Cuthbertson also read out O’Connell’s apology to the Jacksons – which they have not accepted.
The apology from O’Connell said: “My wife and kids are on the borderline of staying or going; we have lost most of our contracts; our business lost all of its customers so we moved out.”
Outside court, Julie Jackson said the sentence “was probably better than what we thought”.
Mrs Jackson does not think O’Connell can be rehabilitated: “not a man of his age”, she said, and that O’Connell needs psychological help.
She did not think taking into account the damage to O’Connell’s reputation and business was fair.
“Nothing can replace what he took from us, our family is in turmoil for what he has done.”
Mrs Jackson thanked the police and the family’s supporters for coming to the court hearings, and sending messages and letters.
Kerry Gilbee - a trainer at Jackson’s Miniature Horses – outside court said: “Who cares about his reputation, he went in there and slaughtered those horses.”
