Catchwords:

ANIMALS – Cruelty to animals – consideration of the element of “intention of inflicting severe pain” in s 530(1) of Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – defences to offence of serious cruelty to animals under s 530(2) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – meaning of “pest animals” – meaning of “in the course of or for the purposes of extermination of pest animals” – whether animal killed was a “pest animal” within the meaning of s 530(2) of the Crimes Act – whether killing of animal was “in the course of or for the purposes of extermination of pest animals” – statutory context – context includes other legislation addressing cruelty to animals

CRIMINAL LAW – cruelty to animals – offence of serious cruelty to animals – elements of offence – consideration of the element of “intention of inflicting severe pain” in s 530(1) of Crimes Act – statutory defence – whether animal killed was a “pest animal” within the meaning of s 530(2) of the Crimes Act – whether killing of animal was “in the course of or for the purposes of extermination of pest animals”

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – where provision in question one of a number of provisions in various statutes concerned with prevention of cruelty to animals – other statutes forming part of the statutory context – consideration of the use of dictionaries in statutory interpretation

WORDS AND PHRASES – “pest animal” – “extermination” – “in the course of or for the purposes of extermination of pest animals”