Maison John Alexander Booth: Man sentenced to eight months jail over horror Howatharra animal cruelty incident

A 21-year-old Geraldton man has been jailed for eight months after deliberately running down multiple calves in a “disturbing and barbaric” incident that was captured on video. Magistrate Kelly Thompson sent a clear message that animal cruelty would not be tolerated in the community when she sentenced Maison John Alexander Booth in the Geraldton Magistrates Court on Monday for the shocking offence that left at least eight calves dead or severely injured. Booth was driving his Toyota Prado four-wheel-drive with his 22-year-old friend, Jasper William Hartree, just before midnight on Tuesday, August 20 when he entered a farm on Coronation Beach Road in Howatharra. The court heard the gate is left unlocked for access to the wind surfing club. In a video provided to the magistrate prior to sentencing, Booth is heard laughing as the vehicle bounces over the animals while loud music plays in the background. Ms Thompson described the footage as “sadistic and quite callous,” noting that one calf was found alive with a broken back five days after the incident, which had to be euthanised. Defence counsel Albert Kunneke said Booth had recently split up with his partner after a miscarriage, and had experimented with methylamphetamine. He said the 21-year-old was high and drunk at the time of the offence and was “disgusted with himself” after seeing the video. “There are various outstanding treatment needs,” he told the court. Ms Thompson was presented with a character reference, a hand written apology letter from Booth, proof of counselling and a pre-sentence report. Mr Kunneke submitted a suspended term of imprisonment would allow Booth to get help for his underlying childhood trauma, sighting his prior good character, early plea and remorse. Police prosecutor Sgt Paul White took into account Booth had a clean record, but said it was the “most disturbing thing I’ve seen in 22 years of policing”. “It is disturbing and barbaric ... they recorded and shared their enjoyment at what they were doing,” he said. “This is the danger when people take drugs. “I’ve been a police officer for 22 years and this is up there.” Ms Thompson said it was a “deliberate and intentional” act of cruelty and general deterrence was necessary. “There is a significant degree of harm that you’ve inflicted on them... you were in a position of extreme power,” she said. Booth was sentenced to eight months imprisonment with eligibility for parole for animal cruelty, and received a concurrent two-month term for criminal damage. Prosecution sought the forfeiture of the vehicle used in the incident. The application was adjourned until January 20. Outside of court, property owner Karen Royce said she was happy with the outcome after feeling worried he would get a “slap on the wrist” for his actions. “When you watch the video, they were expecting us to feed them hay. So to run something over that’s so innocent is cowardly,” she said. “As a mum I feel for Maison...maybe you’ve had some difficulty in your life but you just don’t do that.” The Royce’s closed their property allowing access to the beach following the discovery, but Ms Royce confirmed the access point was open in time for Christmas. “Everyone has been so obliged with us closing it, they’ve not gone down there, they’ve accepted our rules,” she said. “It’s no one else’s fault, it’s a small minority ... it’s these kind of people that can ruin it for everyone else. “I didn’t want everyone else to have to go without for Christmas.”