A teenager, who tried to ride an injured emu before he pulled off its feathers and killed it, has pleaded guilty to an animal cruelty charge in court.
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Jye Leslie Schultz, from Dubbo, NSW, and two associates came across the distressed emu when it was trapped in a wire fence between Quambone and Warren on June 11.
Court documents revealed the 19-year-old was driving back to Dubbo after a hunting trip when he stopped the car to help a man get the emu out of the fence.
After the emu was freed Schultz tried to lift it to its feet but the emu was unable to stand because of an injured leg.
Schultz then attempted to mount and ride the emu.
He then pulled feathers from the emu's back and left a large area of the animal's skin exposed.
The animal cruelty was filmed by a woman and circulated on social media with hundreds of thousands of people from across the globe believed to have seen it and expressed outrage.
After the video ended Schultz cut the emu's throat because it had a broken leg.
Police said when they arrested Schultz on June 11 and he immediately confessed to the offence.
Schultz expressed "genuine remorse for his actions" and agreed he behaved recklessly, police claimed in court documents.
When he fronted court for the first time in July, Schultz launched a failed bid to get the court to prevent journalists from publishing his name because of safety concerns.
In Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday Schultz pleaded guilty to a charge of recklessly committing an act of animal cruelty.
He will be sentenced on October 17.
