Fur found in fire of alleged dog killer, court hears

Newtownards Magistrates Court also heard that 27-year-old William Mocsari confessed to his social worker that he obtained a dog which was “free to a good home” from the Gumtree website but that he then strangled it with its own lead, “skinned it and fed it to his other dog.”

Constable McAllister told the court that as well as the alleged confession to his social worker, Constable’s attended Mocsari’s home where “traces of dog fur were found in the fire.”

She said there were strong objections to Mocsari being freed on bail as he is considered a danger to the public.

She said that following the social worker’s report to cops about the dog being killed, the defendants sister had reported him as missing.

A second set of driving offences relate to when police found Mocsari sitting in his car, allegedly uncovering a knife and a quantity of diazepam during a search.

Mocsari, from Rodden Street in Kircubbin, appeared at court via videolink from Maghaberry prison where he is remanded facing three sets of charges.

He is alleged to have driven while banned and without insurance on 1 December, caused unnecessary suffering to a dog on 3 December and on 7 December, Mocsari is alleged to have driven while banned, without insurance and that he possesses a knife and class C diazepam.

When he first appeared in court on 8 December, District Judge Mark Hamill made an order that the alleged dog killer be psychiatrically assessed within 14 days and to date, the case has been adjourned twice more as that report has not yet been served.

In court today defence barrister Chris Holmes lamented the fact there is still no report with the health trust and prison authorities each claiming the other is responsible for producing such a report.

He told the court that in the High court in a recent similar situation in a separate case, those same bodies had given an undertaking “that procedures would be put in place” to co-ordinate their approach in future cases but “it seems that communications have broken down.”

Mr Holmes told the court Mocsari is in custody “on all tree matters” and revealed that in his criminal record was an offence relaying to him “deliberately knocking down a donkey.”

The lawyer further revealed that “highly unusually,” a doctor who examined Mocsari noted in the police custody records that “this man is not to be released, he is to be taken to court.”

Judge Hamill said given he is in custody with the prison authorises “in local parentis ... they’re responsible for his welfare.”

“In that context this court has ordered, not requested, has ordered, a mental health assessment and that has been ignored, that’s why the public should be concerned about this.”

Adjourning the case to this Tuesday, Judge Hamill ordered Mocsari to be produced from prison and made a further order that “someone senior in the Prison Service accompanies Mr Mocsari to explain to his court why the order about mental health has been ignored.”