Dog trainer unleashed in alleged knife attack

An eastern Sydney dog trainer who allegedly stalked and attacked a man with a knife in Sydney’s glitzy eastern suburbs is back behind bars on remand after she was busted in a “heavily drug induced state” a month after release.

Courtnie Alexandria Donlan pleaded guilty at Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday to possessing a prohibited drug and breaching a court order, as she faces separate serious charges including reckless wounding.

The 29-year-old advertises herself online as a professional dog trainer based in Sydney’s glitzy Bondi Beach with multiple five star reviews, but since her arrest in May has traded the seaside suburb for custody on remand.

Donning prison greens on Tuesday, Donlan appeared in court via AVL where she was told charges related to an alleged assault on a man in Malabar in June 2023 would be adjourned following an offer by her lawyers to police.

Officers allege Donlan, who was represented by in court by legal aid, stalked or intimidated the man at an apartment on Bilga Crescent on June 11, 2023 before she allegedly stabbed him in the arm. She was arrested at the scene.

Less than a year after the alleged incident, Donlan was again under the custody of police after officers responded to reports a woman was laying in the middle of the road screaming at Oscar Pl in Eastgardens, north of Malabar.

Court documents reveal Donlan was found laying on the median strip when police and paramedics arrived “extremely incoherent, unable to maintain conversation” and “acting irate with sudden jerking movements”.

A search of the woman’s bag located a liquid substance later revealed to be 1,4-Butanedoil, an industrial solvent that acts as a fast-acting depressant when ingested, before she was taken to hospital in a “heavily drug induced state”.

The court was told Donlan had provided a letter of apology as well as evidence of history of mental health, with Magistrate Daniel Covington sentencing her under Section 10A, meaning she was convicted but without penalty.

The dog trainer separately faces charges of wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, reckless wounding, wielding a knife in a public place, using an offensive weapon, and stalking or intimidation.

She has not entered pleas to these charges.

While much of her social media presence has since been deleted, Donlan is described on the website Bark as “very professional” as well as “patient, skilled, and kind” by five people who left her five-star reviews for her work.

“Courtnie was really great to work with. She explained everything professionally and confidently. You can tell she has a lot of experience and works with lots of dogs,” one review published in August 2022 stated.

The reviewers went on to add that the dog trainer “had great advice for everything we asked her including food recommendations, nuisance barking, and dogs and toddlers. Would definitely recommend her.”

Donlan will remain behind bars on remand before returning to court next month for the knife-related charges to be mentioned.

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