Possum torture ‘worst case of abuse’ in Tasmanian history

In the worst case of animal cruelty ever prosecuted in Tasmania, a 20 year-old local man pleaded guilty to 14 charges, after torturing and blowing up possums.

Animal welfare agents said the footage of two men bashing, stabbing, exploding and torching possums was the worst incident they had ever seen.

After locals reported finding a burnt possum corpse, the pair were caught by animal protection officers in the southern island state of Tasmania.

It is alleged that one of the accused – Jason Stephen Hampton, 20 hunted and tortured about five possums between October and November 2009.

Video evidence obtained from Hampton’s laptop was shown to the court. The footage depicted depicting possums being stabbed with knives, clubbed with broom handles, set alight and blown up using aerosol cans and sparklers.

According to the ABC, the video also showed possums being deliberately run over.

Prosecutor Glenn Carey told the court the animals would have experienced great distress and pain.

Chief RSPCA (Royal Society for the Protection of Animals) inspector Paul McGinty told AFP, “To make matters worse several of the killed possums… they either burnt them by spraying aerosol cans on them with a lighter like a homemade flamethrower, or they exploded them,".

"They actually inserted aerosol cans and bound sparklers and fuel into the cavity of the deceased possum and then poured fuel over them, walked away and threw a match, and they exploded."

Hampton's lawyer, Sasha Wong, said his client is "certainly remorseful and ashamed of the acts he's committed."

Magistrate Tim Hill said it was the most serious case of this type he had dealt with.

Hampton will be sentencing later this month. His co-accused will be attending court in mid-August.