Owner of Arnie the German shepherd pleads GUILTY to all charges after dog was found dead in the back of his ute
The owner of Arnie the German shepherd has pleaded guilty to all charges after he allegedly abandoned the dog in the back of his ute and visited an inner-city brothel.
Nathan McKeown, 43, was charged in November with breaching the duty of care to an animal after the dog was discovered dead in his abandoned ute on Amelia Street, Fortitude Valley, on November 17.
The charge was later upgraded to one count of injuring animals (causing injury or death) by night under the Criminal Code.
McKeown was further charged with an additional three counts of driving motor vehicle without a driver licence demerit points, and one count each of did drive under the influence (UIL) and serious obstruct police.
He arrived at court on Thursday flanked by a team of police officers and was peppered with questions from an eager press pack.
McKeown’s wife Louise was notably absent from the court room with the 43-year-old instead supported by his parents.
Police allege McKeown drove his ute into the heart of the city’s nightlife hub at 10.30pm on November 7 and parked his car in Amelia Street in Fortitude Valley.
He left Arnie locked in the back of the ute, with police alleging he was intoxicated at the time and later forgot where the vehicle was parked.
Nathan McKeown is seen leaving a Brisbane court after facing charges over his dog’s death
McKeown’s wife Louise was notably absent from the court room on Thursday
He arrived to court flanked by a team of police officers (pictured)
Arnie’s body was discovered 10 days later on December 17, after a member of the public spotted the parked ute in Fortitude Valley
On November 8, McKeown allegedly told his wife that the ute had been stolen and she filed a police report.
Arnie’s body was discovered 10 days later on December 17, after a member of the public smelled a strong odour coming from a parked ute in Fortitude Valley.
The court heard Arnie had no access to food, water or ventilation, with McKeown breaking down in tears during the proceedings.
He was disqualified from driving for eight months and will be required to serve 240 hours of community service.
Magistrate Deborah Vasta said McKeown’s lie that his ute had been stolen had ‘snowballed’, with him and his wife launching a social media campaign and offering $6,000 for Arnie’s safe return.
On November 21, Daily Mail reported detectives were investigating claims McKeown had been visiting an inner-city brothel on the night Arnie was allegedly left behind.
The manager of that brothel told this publication that one of their workers saw McKeown on the Today Show during one of his public appeals and recognised him as a customer from the night of November 7.
‘He came in and booked a lady and stayed with that lady,’ she told Daily Mail.
McKeown and his wife offered a $6,000 reward for Arnie’s safe return
‘We found it difficult to remove him and all he could talk about was that he had lost his car, but there was no talk of his dog [being inside it]. The girl told him to report it stolen, then he called his wife and said it had been taken.’
She said McKeown left on his own accord and that CCTV showed him returning to the business between 3am and 3.30am, but none of the ladies would see him.
It’s understood that the brothel has CCTV footage that allegedly shows McKeown at the premises between 11pm and 1am that evening.
The woman reported her alleged encounter to management, who lodged a report with police as news broke of McKeown’s arrest in November.
Daily Mail has confirmed a report was lodged with the Queensland Police Service.
