No bail for woman charged with torturing, killing animals

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This article was published 20/12/2024 (320 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A woman accused of torturing and killing animals for a paying online audience has been denied bail.

Irene Lima, 55, sat in the prisoner’s box, looking at the floor, her face concealed from view as provincial court Judge Kusham Sharma delivered her ruling Friday afternoon.

Details of Sharma’s decision cannot be disclosed under terms of a publication ban.

Lima’s next court date is Jan. 17. She is charged with nearly three dozen animal cruelty-related offences, including bestiality and child pornography offences.

Lima and Chad Kabecz, 40, were arrested in October after a police investigation into a report from the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian detailing videos and pictures shared on the dark web showing the torture and killing of animals.

Sharma ordered that Lima not communicate with Kabecz, who also remains in custody. Kabecz was released on bail after his first arrest but was jailed after being arrested on more charges last month.

Lima is “disheartened,” defence lawyer Mike Cook said.

“She’s upset. She was certainly hoping to go home,” defence lawyer Mike Cook said outside court.

“Now that we’ve decided the issue of bail, we are going to look at the file itself and decide what our legal options are,” including taking the case to trial or “resolution of the file,” Cook said.

Eight animal activists attended the bail hearing, while half a dozen others stood outside the courthouse with placards demanding harsher penalties for crimes against animals.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca

Dean Pritchard
Courts reporter

Dean Pritchard is courts reporter for the Free Press. He has covered the justice system since 1999, working for the Brandon Sun and Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 2019. Read more about Dean.

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