Canberra man found guilty of bestiality in ACT Supreme Court trial

A jury in the ACT Supreme Court has found a man in his late 20s guilty of bestiality involving a housemate’s cat. The verdict followed a short but intense trial regarding an incident that occurred in Canberra in February 2025.

Evidence presented during the trial indicated that the cat, a male tabby named Dutch, suffered rectal injuries that an emergency veterinarian described as not being “natural” and caused by the “insertion of an object.” The cat’s owner testified that upon returning home one evening, he found the accused at the kitchen sink tending to injuries and discovered the cat covered in blood and behaving aggressively.

Chief Justice Lucy McCallum thanked the jurors for their service following their deliberations and encouraged them to utilize court-provided counseling services if needed.