NSW: Youth leader punished for dragging dead possum behind car

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2006
NSW: Youth leader punished for dragging dead possum behind car

By Kim Arlington

SYDNEY, Aug 30 AAP - A church youth leader who dragged a dead possum behind his car
has avoided a possible jail term for what a magistrate described as extraordinarily antisocial
behaviour.

Daniel James Korocz, 22, of Warriewood in Sydney, was convicted in Manly Local Court
today of offensive behaviour over the incident on June 24.

"In all the time I've been doing this work, I've never struck anything so extraordinary,
so unexplained," Magistrate Andrew George said.

"Your behaviour is antisocial at an extraordinary level, particularly at your age,"

he told Korocz, who is studying at TAFE for a career in community welfare.

The court was told that Korocz and three younger boys he knew through church had talked
about buying some rope to drag road kill behind his car.

The group bought a coil of rope and then drove to the Wakehurst Parkway at north Narrabeen,
on Sydney's northern beaches.

One youth found a dead possum on the side of the road and he and Korocz tied the rope
around its tail.

As his companion held the rope out of an open window, Korocz drove along the road and
into Deep Creek Reserve, dragging the possum behind the vehicle.

"The accused has driven around the reserve for approximately three to five minutes
with the possum still attached," a police statement of facts read.

"The possum was dragged for about 500 metres before detaching from the rope."

The incident took place about 2pm (AEST) on a Saturday afternoon and was witnessed
by several members of the public.

"Police were contacted because witnesses were quite disturbed and offended by what
they had seen," the police statement of facts said.

"They were unsure as to whether the animal was alive or dead."

The court heard that an RSPCA post-mortem found the possum was already dead before
it was dragged behind the car.

Korocz realised he had "behaved like an idiot" but would never have hurt an animal,
Mr George was told.

A psychologist who interviewed Korocz found his behaviour was not a precursor to more
serious offending and that he did not pose a threat to society.

But Mr George said he was not comforted by the psychologist's report.

"I'm at a loss to understand what process of logic would make any reasoning person,
whether a teenager or an adult, to think that it was somehow humorous ... to tie a dead
animal to a car and then drive around with it in front of others," he said.

The magistrate had the power to impose a three-month jail term and said almost everyone
in the courtroom, apart from Korocz's parents, probably thought some jail time would be
appropriate.

However, Mr George said he did not think sending the young man to jail was the right
response and instead sentenced him to 50 hours of community service.

Korocz did not comment outside the court.

AAP ka/kaj/hn/sp

KEYWORD: KOROCZ

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