A former Ballina man tied to a notorious animal cruelty case and later involved in a fatal Ballina assault could be back in the community within weeks.

Bradley Presbury, 30, was sentenced in Lismore Local Court on Monday after being convicted of domestic violence and drug offences.

The latest sentence marks his fourth time in jail and continues a pattern of offending stretching back almost a decade.

Latest court outcome

Presbury was convicted of stalking or intimidating with intent to cause fear of physical harm in a domestic context.

He was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment, backdated to April 6, 2025, and expiring on December 5, 2026.

He will be eligible for parole on May 19.

He was also convicted on four counts of supplying a prohibited drug, receiving identical concurrent sentences.

In a separate matter, Presbury pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment from April 20, 2026, to May 19, 2026.

Court records show he was initially refused bail when proceedings began on March 13 last year.

He later entered a guilty plea in February this year was granted bail the following day, but had that bail revoked on April 15, returning him to custody before sentencing.

Early notoriety: the Polly the pig case

Presbury first came to wider public attention in 2016 following a high-profile animal cruelty case at Nimbin.

A 12-year-old pet pig known as Polly, housed at Djanbung Gardens, suffered serious internal and external injuries during the incident. Ten chickens were also found dead.

Presbury and a co-accused were arrested near Ballina and appeared in Lismore Local Court in December 2016.

Both were charged with multiple animal cruelty offences, along with a count of bestiality.

Those bestiality charges were later withdrawn, but the remaining animal cruelty matters proceeded.

Presbury spent more than eight months in custody before being granted bail by the Supreme Court in September 2017.

Polly the pet pig sustained serious internal and external injuries during an attack in Nimbin. Ten dead chickens were also found with broken necks and other bones.

(Supplied: Robyn Francis)

Fatal Ballina assault

In May 2018, a man was found unconscious on River Street, Ballina, with critical head injuries and died three days later in hospital.

He was later identified as Aaron Marks, 38, from Iluka.

Presbury was later charged following police investigations.

When the matter was finalised in 2021, Presbury pleaded guilty to drug supply, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and perverting the course of justice.

A co-accused, Justin Anderson, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning death.

Presbury received an aggregate sentence of 501 days, which was backdated and expired on the day he was sentenced, allowing him to walk free from court.

“Hideous” driving history

Separate to those matters, Presbury was jailed in November 2018 over what a magistrate described at the time as a “hideous” driving record.

Despite being disqualified from driving until 2024, he was detected speeding near Angels Beach.

Police turned and pursued the vehicle, which allegedly reached speeds of about 110km/h in an 80 zone.

The pursuit continued into suburban Ballina streets before the vehicle stopped on Treelands Drive.

A breath test returned a reading of 0.126.

He was sentenced to 12 months in jail, with a non-parole period of six months, and received a further three-year driving disqualification.

Bradley Presbury pictured with another pig – not believed to be Polly (Photos:Facebook)

Evans Head car wash assault

In June 2023, Presbury returned to Ballina court over a domestic violence incident at the Evans Head car wash.

Police found his partner with a head wound, with blood visible at the scene.

Presbury later pleaded guilty to intimidation and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Sentencing him on November 30, 2023, Magistrate Karen Stafford described the victim as “clearly frightened out of her wits”.

In remarks reported by Newscorp, the magistrate said the offending was “one of the most sustained DV assaults” she had encountered.

Presbury was convicted and sentenced to two years in jail, with a non-parole period of 15 months.

Back out in less than a month?

Despite the latest convictions, Presbury’s time in custody may still be short.

He is eligible for parole on May 19, meaning he could be released in less than a month.

However, that timeline is now uncertain, with Presbury due back in court on April 23 over an alleged AVO breach.

That fresh matter could affect his release, leaving it unclear whether a former Ballina man tied to one of the region’s most disturbing animal cruelty cases, and later involved in a fatal Ballina assault matter, will be back in the community within weeks.