SYDNEY: A man faced an Australian court yesterday charged with having sexual relations with a rabbit and the sadistic killing of 17 other rabbits whose carcasses were found dumped in a lane.

Brendan Francis McMahon, 36, North Sydney, appeared briefly before Central Local Court Magistrate Allan Moore yesterday charged with having allegedly committed the offences over the past three weeks.

McMahon, a New Zealand born finance company director, sat quietly in the dock during the hearing at which he was represented by barrister Doug Marr.

No plea was entered to a total of 21 charges laid by polcie against McMahon, a business partner with Jason Meares, the former brother-in-law of James Packer.

McMahon, who's company website claims he is a former Bachelor of the Year winner, was arrested by detectives at a house in Tamarama early yesterday.

The investigation began after skinned and partially-skinned dead and dying rabbits began to appear in a laneway off York Street, near Circular Quay in late July.

The laneway adjoined a building in which McMahon occupied a first floor office from which he ran a financial planning and mortgage brokerage company.

Before McMahon was charged police alleged some of the rabbits had been thrown from some height into the laneway.

In addition to 17 rabbits, police also found a dead guinea pig in the lane.

Alarmed at the continuing discovery of freshly killed rabbits, some whose genitalia had allegedly been mutilated, detectives began contacting city pet stores to determine who had been buying rabbits.

Police found that a credit card in McMahon's name had been used to purchase the animals at a number of pet shops. Police also seized a security video showing a man buying a pet.

In all McMahon was charged with 17 counts of acts of aggravated cruelty upon an animal between July 20 and August 11.

AdvertisementAdvertisementHe was further charged with committing an act of bestiality with an animal between 3am and 4am on August 1.

McMahon was further charged with two counts of possession of cannabis.

His barrister, Mr Marr, told Mr Moore that McMahon would not be applying for bail today but would make a formal application next Friday, August 19.

Mr Moore formally refused McMahon bail and ordered him to reappear before the court via a prison video link next week.