Vile teenager egged on a mate to torture and kill 21 kangaroos and even took the wheel of a ute to ram into the creatures - leaving fur and blood smeared on the car

  • Ashley Sorenson egged on his friend Nathan Sanger to run over 21 kangaroos
  • Sorenson was 'trying to make friends' after starting a new life on the NSW coast 
  • Residents woke up to find dead and dying kangaroos across the neighbourhood

A man involved in the 'despicable' torture and killing of kangaroos on the NSW far south coast will spend at least a year behind bars.

Ashley Sorenson was in the passenger seat of a Mazda ute when 21 eastern grey kangaroos were ploughed down at Tura Beach in September 2019.

Sorenson, 34, on Friday received a maximum sentence of 20 months' prison at Queanbeyan Local Court.

He was one of two men in the car, which was later found by police with a heavily dented front, covered in blood and kangaroo fur.

Ashley Sorenson egged on his friend Nathan Sanger to run over 21 kangaroos in a ute in a neighbourhood in NSW's far south coast. Pictured are the dead and dying kangaroos

Ashley Sorenson egged on his friend Nathan Sanger to run over 21 kangaroos in a ute in a neighbourhood in NSW's far south coast. Pictured are the dead and dying kangaroos

Sorenson and Nathan Sanger, who was then 18, were at a local club drinking before they went on the callous rampage.

While the driver, Sanger, was found to be mainly culpable, the court heard Sorenson egged him on.

He occasionally grabbed the steering wheel of the ute from Sanger to run into more kangaroos.

While the driver was found to be mainly culpable, the court heard Sorenson egged him on and even grabbed the steering wheel to deliberately crash into more kangaroos

While the driver was found to be mainly culpable, the court heard Sorenson egged him on and even grabbed the steering wheel to deliberately crash into more kangaroos

'Encouragement came from the accused to start the carnage,' magistrate Roger Clisdell told the court.

He described Sorenson's behaviour as disgrace and despicable.

'This was a decision he made cold bloodedly,' Mr Clisdell said.

'Once the bloodlust started it was difficult to stop.'

Locals awoke to find the aftermath of the killing spree, leaving them traumatised, with police having to euthanise the surviving kangaroos.

The magistrate described Sorenson's behaviour as disgrace and despicable. Pictured are the dead animals in the back of a truck

The magistrate described Sorenson's behaviour as disgrace and despicable. Pictured are the dead animals in the back of a truck

Sorenson, 34, on received a maximum sentence of 20 months' prison for his part in the slaughter. Pictured is the only joey to survive the attack

Sorenson, 34, on received a maximum sentence of 20 months' prison for his part in the slaughter. Pictured is the only joey to survive the attack

The court heard Sorenson moved to the coast to start afresh after a history of violence.

'He was trying to make new friends,' his lawyer said.

Co-accused Sanger was found guilty of the majority of the killings last year and given two years' jail, to be served as a community sentence.

Sorenson will be eligible for release in late July next year.

NSW man Ashley Sorenson who egged on friend to mow down 21 kangaroos in his ute jailed for 20 months

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