The Court of Criminal Appeal has quashed the convictions of two men convicted of cruelty to animals at a dog fight in Co Kildare. The case was the first of its kind in the State's history.
Troy Jordan (35), a car dealer and horse breeder, of Allenwood South, Co Kildare, and David Deegan (32), a car sales business owner, of Tallaght, Co Dublin, were convicted at Naas Circuit Court on July 13th last year of cruelly ill-treating two animals at a dog fight on October 31st, 2003, at Brockagh, Robertstown, Naas, Co Kildare.
Mr Jordan was jailed for 18 months for the offence and Mr Deegan was given an 18-month suspended prison sentence by Judge Pat McCartan.
Mr Jordan was freed on bail immediately after the sentence by the Court of Criminal Appeal.
The men's lawyers had submitted that the trial judge erred in refusing an application to direct the jury to acquit.
Mr Justice Hugh Geoghegan said that merely being present at the incident was not enough to convict a person.