The 29-year-old, from Cloyfin Park in the town, pleaded guilty to a catalogue of horrific cruelty offences when he appeared at North Antrim Magistrates' Court on Friday. He also admitted making threats on the life of his wife Alison.

The court heard the gory details of Streeter's prolonged cruelty to the family pet, a one-year-old Golden Retriever called Mac, culminating in the dog's agonising death, repeatedly beaten and kicked while chained up to the roof of the garage. All the offences occurred in October 2006.

Streeter had to face a mass protest from animal rights activists, demanding justice for Mac, as he arrived for the hearing. The courtroom was packed as a prosecutor detailed the offences admitted by Streeter. He stood impassively as the details emerged.

The court was told that he often punched and kicked the dog, which was bought as a family pet for the children, if he misbehaved.

The seven cruelty charges alleged that when he saw the dog chew garden furniture he punched him in the face, kicked him and threw a boulder at him. He then soaked the dog as he was in his kennel.

"That'll teach him", Streeter said, before going back inside and putting on steel toe-capped boots. He then went back to Mac, kicking him and beating him with a metal bar.

Streeter used a choke chain to tie Mac to rafters in the garage, leaving his front feet off the ground. If Mac tried to sit he choked himself and Streeter gloated that "he will hang himself".

His wife Alison was able to release the dog later that evening but was told that she had until Monday to get rid of him. Streeter later put the hose on Mac again as he sat in his kennel.

The next day Mac was barking and Streeter again took him to the garage, telling Alison: "The bastard's going to die". He later came and told her that the dog was dead.

When she went to the garage Alison found Mac, still tied up to the rafters. He was dead.

Streeter told Alison that if he could do that to a dog he could do it to her as well. He later claimed to police that the dog had hung itself.

Mac was later buried in the back garden and the court was told that police exhumed the dog. An examination showed he had suffered severe injuries - massive bruising, broken bones and internal bleeding in the lungs and brain.

Defence barrister Francis Rafferty said that Streeter's behaviour was an 'aberration'. The court heard that Streeter could not offer any excuse for his actions, merely an explanation and express his regret at what happened. Streeter was said to have "just lost it".

He said that Streeter had suffered severe injuries in an accident and had been unable to work at the time of the incidents. He had been under increasing financial pressure and took refuge in alcohol.

He had married an older woman, taken responsibility for her children, and although he wanted to provide for them, circumstances were against him. He expressed genuine and sincere regret for his actions, his behaviour and the way he had treated the animal.

It was also revealed that since his court appearances Streeter has had an avalanche of hate mail to his home. He has had threats and menaces made against him; abuse and vitriol.

District Judge Richard Wilson said: "This is without doubt, in all my years on the bench, one of the worst cases involving animals that I have ever heard. I do not feel that I have any alternative but to show the disapproval and detestation of the court by imposing an immediate custodial sentence."

He sentenced Streeter to four months imprisonment for threatening to kill his wife and two months on each of the cruelty charges. The cruelty charges are to run consecutively in three groups, effectively creating a six month prison sentence.

Streeter was also banned from keeping any animal for ten years.
He was released on his own bail of £500 for the purposes of appealing the severity of the sentence.


Speaking after the hearing Streeter's former wife, Alison McMonagle, said she was glad it was all over but had no regrets at reporting the matter to the police. She said: "I am still sort of shocked. I thought the sentence would have been longer. Dave has a temper. I know it, his family and his friends know it."

Alison's father, Robert McMonagle, said that he feared the next step would have been an attack on his daughter or the children. He said he was proud of her for taking the matter to court. "It was unbelievable what she had to go through", he said.

Animal welfare groups say sentence too lenient

ANIMAL rights campaigners say a six month sentence for David Streeter is not long enough.

Helen Davies, from the Rainbow Animal Rehoming Centre, said that the sentence should have been longer as it involved the torture of a defenceless animal.

She said: "The attacks were carried out over a period of days. It is inexcusable. He was angry with his wife but he didn't harm her, it was Mac.

"The court isn't sending out a strong enough signal to other offenders."
Maggie Dimsdale-Bobby, who works alongside Helen, said: "We are here as a voice for the animals. People don't realise the extent of cruelty in the province.

"We are here today hoping to see justice for Mac. I don't believe we have seen it, and now he is going to appeal it. The courts are not dealing with cruelty cases effectively."

Stephen Philpott, Chief Executive of the USPCA said: "Coleraine Court has today dealt with David Streeter, the perpetrator of probably the most sadistic and savage example of animal cruelty I have witnessed in my time as USPCA Chief Executive.

"The wanton violence he handed out to an innocent family pet caused the creature to die an unspeakably agonising death.

"The USPCA Welfare Officer who exhumed the animals broken body was shocked by the extent of injuries visible on the dogs remains, a post mortem revealed these to be the tip of an iceberg of wanton brutality.

"The six month custodial sentence is well below the maximum available to the Court and will not reflect public abhorrence of this appalling crime. However, it will allow Streeter time to reflect on the unnecessary suffering he inflicted on a trusting animal that caused him no harm."