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CAIRNS POST (Australia) 30 October 07 Boys admit killing croc (Sophia Browne)
Two boys have admitted taking revenge on a crocodile lurking near their Cairns home, hooking it and bashing it to death with a rock.
Police and wildlife officials are investigating the attack on the 1.8m croc in a drain at Dillon St, Westcourt, and have warned the boys may face hefty fines.
But residents last night defended the boys’ actions, saying they were fed up with the number of croc sightings in suburban creeks and drains and had been forced to take matters into their own hands.
David Stallwood, 12, last night told how they caught the animal and killed it because of safety fears.
"We got a torch, a big hook and some meat and went down and got it," he said.
Added his mate Henry Tabuar, 14: "We just wanted to get it out for the safety of the people."
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service conservation services manager Dr Mark Read said the croc was the same animal spotted in the Dillon St drain on Sunday.
He said he would work with police today to further investigate the attack and possibly lay charges.
Dr Read warned anyone caught harming a croc could face a $16,000 fine.
The incident comes after a spate of sightings of crocs in Cairns in the past week.
Also yesterday, a Miriwinni woman told how her horse was mauled by a croc at a popular fishing spot and two northern beaches were closed following another sighting.
Cairns Mayor Kevin Byrne said people had probably had enough of finding crocs in urban areas.
But he said there was not a crocodile problem in the city.
"It’s a fact of life, they (crocodiles) get in, they get out," Cr Byrne said.
"It’s unfortunate that an animal has been killed, but it’s probably an indication that people have had enough."
Dr Read also maintained there were no more crocodiles in the Far North than usual.
"Having done this for so long … for me it’s no surprise and we have to accept that these animals are here," he said.
Miriwinni woman Natalie Sacchetti yesterday said she was scared for her animals’ as well as for the safety of people who fished in the Russell River after her horse was mauled by a croc on Sunday.
"The croc’s grabbed him when he’s had a drink and ripped his bottom lip off," Ms Sacchetti said.
"One of the puncture wounds was the size of my little finger."
Ms Sacchetti said there were at least three crocodiles within 1km of her property.
"I’m forever chasing people away who try to fish in that area," she said.
"It’s a beautiful waterhole … but if that had been a fisherman rather than a horse, he’d be gone."
Lifeguards closed both Yorkeys Knob and Trinity beaches again yesterday morning after a croc sighting at Trinity Beach.
The beaches were closed all day Friday when a crocodile was spotted swimming north, close to the shore.
Boys admit killing croc

CAIRNS POST (Australia) 30 November 07 What a croc! (Tyron Butson)
An angry RSPCA has slammed the penalty given to a man who yesterday admitted bashing to death a 1.8m croc in an incident that created national headlines.
Westcourt man Owen Pacellie Dorante, 23, was ordered to do 180 hours of community service and pay $500 after pleading guilty in Cairns Magistrates’ Court to repeatedly bashing the croc over the head with rocks.
Two boys also involved in the killing have been ordered to appear at a youth justice conference.
RSPCA Queensland senior inspector Michael Pecic last night told The Cairns Post the "extremely lenient" punishment given to Dorante would make people think they could get away with animal cruelty.
"Maiming or killing a protected animal … is disgusting and it’s questionable if the penalty was severe enough for this sort of action," he said.
"It’s extremely lenient and it sends out the wrong sort of message to people.
"It’s not right to kill or maim an animal and people will get the wrong sort of message from this, that’s it’s okay."
Dorante pleaded guilty to three charges of animal cruelty, restriction of keeping or using a protected animal and disturbing a native animal in the wild.
The court heard how on October 28, Dorante helped the two boys pull the croc from from a Westcourt drain after they hooked it using a piece of meat attached to a rope.
Police Prosecutor Constable Michelle Rizal told how they dragged the croc on to a nature strip and Durante repeatedly hit it on the head with rocks, while the two boys took turns to beat it with a metal bar.
She said the crocodile’s jaw was broken by one of the blows.
The croc was then dragged back into the creek where it died a short time later.
Dorante’s defence solicitor Kate Power said the attack was out of character.
"He simply does not know why he was led by some juveniles," she said.
"It’s out of character… he simply went along with them."
Magistrate Suzette Coates said she had taken the accused’s early guilty plea and his obvious remorse into account during her sentencing. But she labelled his actions foolish.
"It was a complete error of judgment on your part," she told the court.
"That you involved yourself with two young boys involved in this transaction with a crocodile was very foolish."
Speaking outside court, an obviously shaken Dorante told The Cairns Post he was remorseful for his actions.
"I’m very sorry," he said.
"The two boys asked for help, it’s not something I would have normally involved myself with. I deserve it (the punishment)."
What a croc!