CONVICTED (2024) | drug addict Niall O’Kane, born 21 January 1987, of Altinure Road, Claudy, Londonderry BT47 4DG – punched a dog repeatedly, bit her then tried to strangle her during domestic violence incident.
Junkie O’Kane, who has a string of criminal convictions dating back 14 years, also attacked his sister in bed and set fire to her bedroom door while she was inside.
The court was told that on July 10, 2023, O’Kane returned to the home he shared with his mother and sister in a state of intoxication.
He asked his sister, who was in bed, if he could borrow her phone, but she refused.
O’Kane then became “violent, aggressive and threatening” and turned his attention to his sister’s dog,.
The court heard he “punched the dog a number of times, bit the dog and then grabbed it by the neck as if trying to strangle it”.
As his sister grappled with him to protect her pet, O’Kane “grabbed her by the back of the head and bit her on the cheek” before he staggered from the bedroom.
A short time later, the sister noticed flames at her door and rang some friends to come to her aid.
When they arrived at the property, O’Kane, who was slumped on the sofa, told them to “f*** off”.
They ignored him and extinguished the fire, which he had started by piling clothes against the door and setting them alight.
O’Kane was unfit to be interviewed by police until the following day. He said he recalled nothing of the previous evening because he had been on a drink and drug binge. He denied attacking the dog, however, and claimed to have a good relationship with his sister.
Ultimately O’Kane, who has links to Limavady, County Londonderry, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal alongside assault, criminal damage and arson.
The court heard that Kane had amassed 51 previous convictions — half of them related to his drug habit.
Sentencing | one-year custodial of which half will be spent on licence. No mention of a ban on keeping animals.