A man charged with torturing and causing the death of kangaroos last September has changed his plea to guilty.
WARNING: This story contains images that may disturb some readers.
Ashley Sorenson, 33, pleaded guilty in the Bega Local Court to his involvement in killing three out of 21 eastern grey kangaroos at Tura Beach on the NSW Far South Coast last year.
He previously entered a plea of not guilty to the charge in November 2019.
Kangaroos frequently visited the beachside suburb and were accustomed to human contact.
Court documents alleged Sorenson was the owner of the ACT-plated Mazda utility used to run over the animals.
CCTV footage placed Sorenson in the passenger seat on the night of the attack along with a driver and another passenger.
The driver of the vehicle and co-accused Nathan Sanger, 20, was convicted in the Bega Local Court in November 2019 to causing the death of 21 eastern grey kangaroos.
He was given a two-year jail sentence in the Bega Local Court in November 2019 to be served as an intensive corrections order and was ordered to spend up to 500 hours' community service caring for orphaned animals at Potoroo Palace.
Court documents alleged Sorenson encouraged Sanger to run over the kangaroos and at times took control of the steering wheel to drive into the animals.
After the incident police located Sorenson's vehicle, which appeared to have sustained recent damage to its front.
It also had blood stains and kangaroo fur stuck to it.
Sorenson's lawyer requested the matter be moved to another courthouse for sentencing in order to be closer to the accused's new residence in Goulburn.
The court heard Sorenson had a history of drug and alcohol dependency issues.
Magistrate Doug Dick told the court Sorenson's criminal history was "far more extensive" than his co-accused.
Sorenson's bail is continued and he is due to be sentenced in the Queanbeyan Local Court on April 20, 2020.
