DRUNK and stoned, Nathan Paul McKeown forgot where he had parked his ute containing his “best friend”, Arnie the german shepherd.
McKeown, 43, told his wife the car had been stolen, launching a massive police search and a national appeal for information.
More than a week later, seven-year-old Arnie was found dead inside McKeown’s ute after a neighbour complained about the smell.
Months after appearing on TV and radio asking for help to find Arnie, McKeown was spared jail after his “snowball” of lies.
McKeown ran from media into a police station before entering nearby Cleveland Magistrates Court, southeast of Brisbane, under police escort on Thursday.
Security had searched the court building for explosive devices due to the volume of death threats McKeown had received since his arrest.
He pleaded guilty to charges of unlawfully killing his dog as well as obstructing police by leading them on a fruitless search for his ute.
McKeown’s national TV appeals for information sparked Arnie sightings and a social media campaign that amassed millions of views.
Magistrate Deborah Vasta told McKeown he had been “public enemy No.1” after his arrest.
“Members of the public felt betrayed, they felt you perhaps manipulated or exploited their emotions for your own benefit,” she said.
“I take into account public condemnation and much of it is justified.”
Defence solicitor Patrick Quinn said his client had received “vile” death threats via social media.
“They call for his death, his gassing, for him to be beaten. He has essentially been in hiding,” he said.
McKeown’s offending was unusual and extreme, the police prosecutor said.
“He left Arnie in the car with no food, water or ventilation,” the prosecutor said.
McKeown also pleaded guilty to unlicensed driving and driving under the influence.
The prosecutor said McKeown was captured on CCTV letting Arnie out of the ute to go to the toilet on the evening of November 7 in inner Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.
“McKeown appeared heavily affected by alcohol. He was unsteady,” the prosecutor said.
Ms Vasta heard McKeown did not return and instead visited several venues, bars, service stations and fast food outlets until the early hours of November 8.
McKeown could not remember where he parked and told his wife his ute had been stolen, which she reported to police.
“On a large scale he misdirected police and the public to find the ute. He persisted with the false narrative in national media,” the prosecutor said.
The amount of police resources wasted in the search and chasing sightings of Arnie was large, Ms Vasta heard.
A resident smelled a foul odour coming from McKeown’s utility on November 17 and police found Arnie in an advanced state of decomposition.
McKeown should not face prison time as he had no prior criminal record, had checked in to drug and alcohol rehabilitation and was deeply remorseful, Ms Vasta heard.
“It’s a perfect example of the cover-up being worse than the original offences,” Mr Quinn said.
McKeown had owned and trained Arnie since he was a nine-week-old puppy and took the dog with him everywhere, Ms Vasta heard.
“It was a classic snowball that got bigger and bigger…and you didn’t have the guts,” Ms Vasta said.
“Your actions killed your dog. Your best friend.”
Ms Vasta told McKeown he would have been jailed if he had deliberately killed Arnie.
Instead he received the maximum 240 hours of community service and was disqualified from driving for eight months.
“Your past is going to travel with you when people google you. I’m not going to record conviction. That would make things worse.”
McKeown declined to comment as he left court.
