A series of graphic photographs of slain deer, including one that appeared to have had its throat ripped out, will be used in the prosecution of a Darkes Forest man of illegal hunting, trespass and animal cruelty charges.
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Radwan Alam and two friends, Fadi Annous and Afif Derbas, stand accused of illegally entering the Dendrobium Coal site at Mt Kembla in the early hours of Monday morning to hunt the feral animals using two large gaming dogs.
Police were called to Stones Road just before 2.30am with reports of illegal hunting involving dogs.
They arrived to discover a white Toyota Landcruiser ute with a dog cage parked about 30m from the front entrance of the Dendrobium mine.
A short time later, Alam emerged from nearby bushland in the company of a large dog described by police as an Irish Wolfhound cross.
Officers said the dog appeared to be wet with cuts and abrasions to its feet.
When asked what he was doing in the area, Alam allegedly replied "just taking my dog for a walk".
Alam then told police there were two other men with him and the duo appeared a few minutes later from the same direction Alam had come.
They were leading another large Irish Wolfhound, which had a large gash to its throat.
Officers searched the Landscruiser, allegedly uncovering a meat clever under the driver's side floor mat, a black butterfly knife behind the driver's seat and a plethora of torches and radios, commonly used for hunting purposes.
They also discovered a letter from NSW Revenue addressed to Alam regarding a previous fine issued to him last year for illegally hunting with his dogs.
Meanwhile, in a basket on the ute's roof, police located a baby deer whose throat appeared to have been ripped out.
A fresh pool of blood indicated the animal had been killed moments before police arrived, the fact sheet said.
The three men were arrested and questioned, at which time Alam allegedly told police the butterfly knife belonged to his five-year-old son and he "didn't even know it was there".
While waiting for another police vehicle to transport the men, officers walked a short distance into the bushland where they found the carcasses of two more deer.
The first one, a doe, had had its throat slashed and was sporting a flesh wound about 10cm along its right leg, which police believe had been caused by one of the dogs biting and holding the deer as it tried to escape.
The second animal, a buck, had also had its throat slashed. Police believe this deer was responsible for wounding the dog before it was killed.
Officers took several photographs of the dead animals where they lay.
The trio were taken to Wollongong Police Station and charged with illegal deer hunting, trespassing and animal cruelty charges.
Annous and Derbas were released on police bail but Alam was remanded in custody on additional weapons charges relating to the seizure of the butterfly knife.
He sough bail in court on Tuesday, with defence lawyer Abigail Bannister saying Alam needed to be at liberty to continue running his construction company and look after the family's 60 acre property at Darkes Forest.
She suggested Alam would be unlikely to face jail time if convicted of the charges.
Police opposed Alam's release, describing the incident as "very serious" and saying the photographs taken by police were "graphic" and "disturbing".
Magistrate Susan McGowan agreed to grant Alam strict bail on the condition he live at the family's rented unit in Strathfield, report to police twice a week and not approach or contact either co-accused.
The case was adjourned to July 7 for plea or mention.
Both dogs have since been seized by Wollongong City Council rangers.