Kale Francis Falchi, 19, had no conviction recorded against him and escaped a jail term when he appeared before Southport Magistrate Brian Kucks for sentencing on Tuesday.
However Mr Kucks ordered Falchi, who will soon be on a full wage after completing a carpentry apprenticeship, to repay Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary $11,060 compensation for costs.
The sanctuary spent four months trying to save the swan after it was severely injured on Boxing Day last year.
The magistrate told Falchi he had shown a "callous disregard" for the swan`s welfare, and owed a debt to society.
In a statement to the court, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary vet Dr Michael Pine said despite their best efforts Cassie the swan had to be euthanased on April 4.
"Her will to live captured the emotion of all the staff who treated her," he said.
Mr Kucks said the teenager probably would not have been caught if it wasn`t for the fact that the attack was filmed on video.
"If I could, I would make you carry out your community work with the RSPCA or the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, but it`s up to Corrective Services to make that decision," he told Falchi.
Outside the court, Ian Hulme who filmed the incident, told reporters the swan`s young could still be heard pining for her at night.
But despite the brutality of the incident he said he wasn`t sad to see Falchi get off a prison term.
"He`s a young kid who`s made a mistake and I don`t think jail would have highlighted it for him anyway, but I`m glad the animal hospital`s getting the compensation, and hopefully he`ll remember this and won`t ever do anything like it again."
Senior Constable Les Murphy from Gold Coast Water Police said he`s been in the job for 20 years and stopped wondering years ago about people`s capacity for cruelty.
"I`d just like to thank the members of the public who assisted our inquiries because without them this may not have happened today," he said.
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Editor: Bambang
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
