A Cairns man with an extensive criminal record for violent offences who was held in custody on remand after shooting a child’s tooth out with a Nerf gun has made a bid for freedom.
Alleged cat killer and stalker Kodie Love leaves Cairns court
What might have been regarded as an innocent accident landed Kodie James Love, 26, in jail, as he has an extensive criminal record for violent offences. He was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm.
Kewarra Beach man Kodie Love, 26, now has an extensive criminal history.
In 2020 the former wildlife carer and social media “celebrity” was sentenced to 12 months in prison in the Cairns Supreme Court after pleading guilty to an “unusual” series of offences which included serious animal cruelty, two counts of stalking, three counts of child exploitation material possession, stealing and breaching bail
He had tortured and killed a cat before stringing it up to a man’s car, and claimed he was high on his sleep medication and had little memory of the incident.
On Thursday the District Court heard Love had a conversation with another inmate and claimed to have knocked two teeth of a child out with the nerf gun.
Justice James Henry noted that Love “had not done himself any favours”.
“There’s not enough fuel to infer it was a deliberate act,” he said.
“I accept that he’s telling the truth to a fellow criminal when they’re bragging about being deviants.”
Alleged cat killer and stalker Kodie Love leaves Cairns court.
Prosecutor Aaron Dunkerton opposed the bail application because he said Love had previously demonstrated poor compliance, but Justice Henry observed “there’s no serious suggestion he’s some sort of ‘I’m-going-to-Argentina-type character’.”
Justice Henry recognised he had not been particularly compliant with court orders in the past, including breaches of bail, but he said the prosecution case appeared weak.
“There were exaggerated comments made by him to a fellow criminal which meant bail was revoked and he was returned to jail.
“The child’s tooth that was knocked out might have been on the way out as adult teeth coming through. This man has now spent a material further time in custody for his stupidity.”
Justice Henry found he should be admitted to bail under his own undertaking, and he will appear in the magistrate’s court at a date not yet announced.
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