Geraldton man Cameron James Evans resentenced for cutting off ear of six-week old puppy

A man who caused extensive damage to a Geraldton cafe only to steal $5 in cash just months after he was sentenced for mutilating a six-week-old puppy will be released from custody. Cameron James Evans, 30, used a hammer to force his way into Flowvitality about 10pm on August 9 last year. He stole just $5 from the cash register, telling police he had been influenced by his brother-in-law upon his arrest. Later that day, Evans stole a full 50-litre keg of beer from the Geraldton Hotel beer garden, estimated to be worth about $400. Evans was at the time less than three months into a seven-month intensive supervision order he was required to complete after he admitted to cutting the ear off a six-week old puppy during a domestic dispute. Due to the breach, he appeared in Geraldton Magistrates Court on Thursday to be resentenced for the animal cruelty charge on top of the new burglary and stealing charges related to the Flowvitality incident. He has been in custody since September, with defence counsel George Giudice saying Evans had been sober while behind bars after struggling with substance abuse for some time. Mr Giudice said Evans was confident he could stay clean from drugs and alcohol and was eager to get back to work if released back into the community. Magistrate Angus Hockton said the theft from Flowvitality was a “terrible burglary” which caused “so much loss to that business” over nothing but loose change. He described the animal cruelty incident as “disgusting behaviour” which carried a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment. But taking into account the time Evans’ had already spent behind bars, Mr Hockton agreed to release the man on another intensive supervision order for 12 months.