Simon Pasi Sutinen sentenced in ACT Magistrates Court for killing possum

Simon Pasi Sutinen, 35, faced the ACT Magistrates Court via audio-visual link from custody for sentencing on Monday.

He had previously pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated animal cruelty, damaging property and failing to comply with a COVID-19 direction.

In what magistrate Beth Campbell described as "abhorrent", Sutinen stabbed a possum to death with a knife while it was in a chimney on February 22, 2022.

Police later found the possum's body in a paper bag.

During Ms Campbell's last case before retiring after 24 years on the bench, she said it was difficult to read court documents detailing the possum's death without emotion.

She said that upon reading, "one recoils from" what was a "chilling example of the offence".

Ms Campbell found Sutinen "had a trapped sentient being in the chimney".

"There was a warm breathing body that you were able to terminate with apparent callous indifference."

Defence lawyer Jeremy Banwell told the court his client was of the view possums were pests, and not a protected species.

"The animal likely died quite quickly, of course being in violent circumstances," Mr Banwell said.

The lawyer told the court Sutinen had experienced periods of homelessness and had a history of drug and alcohol abuse.

Mr Banwell said his client also had "significant and difficult mental health issues".

Sutinen was arrested on March 4 last year after he set garbage bins and e-scooters alight at the Lyneham shops.

The court heard Sutinen had told police at the time: "I was just having a burn off. I was bored."

In September 2021, the man broke COVID-19 isolation rules in place at the time when he left a quarantine facility and caught public transport to get cigarettes while infected with the virus.

Ms Campbell took into account Sutinen's mental health diagnoses but said she wasn't sure how receptive he would be to rehabilitation.

She said the combined anti-social nature of the offences was concerning and she did not accept the defendant felt genuine, heartfelt guilt or remorse.

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Sutinen was sentenced to nine months in jail, which he has already served behind bars on remand. However, he will remain in custody because he has been refused bail for other charges.

Sutinen was also fined $1000 with no time to pay, meaning it will be converted to time in custody at a rate of $300 per day.

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