Beastiality

PENALTIES

The charge of beastiality is seen as a very serious offence as per Section 79 of the Crimes Act 1900. The act states that any one who is found guilty of the offence should be liable to a maximum penalty of imprisonment for 14 years.

However, while a criminal conviction is likely, the Court has the ability to impose alternative penalties in appropriate situations. Upon consideration of the circumstances surrounding offence, past criminal history, personal character and the accused’s personal situation, the Court may use their discretion to enforce penalties such as intensive correction orders (ICOs), home detention, community service orders (CSOs), good behaviour bonds, a monetary fine or a suspended sentence. The Court may also use their discretion to deal with the matter by means of a section 10 dismissal in which no conviction is recorded.

GUILTY

In order to be found guilty of beastiality, the Police must prove beyond reasonable doubt that you in fact did participate or were going to participate in a sexual activity with an animal as per section 79 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW). During your case, you will have the opportunity to plead guilty or not guilty. If you choose to agree with the allegations set our against you, which states that you are guilty of beastiality and you enter a guilty plea, it is likely that you will be convicted with one of the above penalties.

However, pleading guilty is also seen in a favourable manner by the judiciary system. Individuals who do plead guilty often show remorse for their actions, in which the Court may be more likely to enforce less serious penalties in comparison to being found guilty otherwise. Individuals who do so may only be subject to fines, community service orders or even be dealt with by a section 10 dismissal, all of which do not have significant impacts on an individual’s ability to work or participate in their daily activities.

At Benjamin Leonardo – The Defenders, we are some of the best criminal lawyers in Sydney, winning multiple awards and cases in Courts around Australia.

If you or someone you know is facing charges of beastiality, please do not hesitate to schedule a first consultation with our expert criminal defence lawyers in order to effectively assess your case and accurately advise you on the penalties that you may face.

NOT GUILTY

Alternatively, you can choose to plead not guilty to the allegations made against you. In this instance, a brief of evidence that will be used by the prosecution will be served and examined by our expert criminal defence lawyers. Through proper examination of the evidence, our lawyers can determine the best course of action to properly defend your case. If the evidence used against you is strong, it is possible that you will be found guilty and the above penalties will be enforced.

For your best chance to avoid potentially significant penalties, it is advised to seek representation from our expert criminal defence law firm based in Sydney. Our criminal defence solicitors will then negate the allegations by using a relevant defence strategy. If we are successful, the Court may completely dismiss the charges. In other instances, the defence strategies may only provide a partial defence. If this happens, a less serious sentence will be enforced or the charges will be downgraded, both of which are much more favourable outcomes in comparison to the maximum penalty.

Regardless, as an award winning criminal law firm, we are dedicated to providing our clients with the best possible outcome. If you are facing charges relating to beastiality, contact Benjamin Leonardo – The Defenders for a first consultation.

THE DEFENCE

At Benjamin Leonardo – The Defenders, we are Sydney based criminal defence lawyers with years of experience in assisting clients with various criminal charges. Some of the criminal defences that may be used to dismiss the allegations of beastiality include:

Duress: Involves the use of harmful threats that have persuaded the accused to participate in unlawful activities. These threats usually depict death or grievous bodily harm, in which the accused believes that if they had not participated in the act of beastiality, the threat would have taken place.

WHICH COURT?

The offence of beastiality is defined as an indictable offence in which the matter must be dealt with in the District or Supreme Court.

At Benjamin Leonardo – The Defenders, we are an expert criminal defence law firm, with conveniently locations in Parramatta and the Sydney CBD. Despite this, we have extensive experiencing in representing clients in Local, District and Supreme Courts throughout NSW. With a variety of awards and a 90% success rate, you can be confident that our criminal defence lawyers are dedicated to achieve the best outcome possible for your case, regardless of the Court your matter is heard at.