Charges against a 19-year-old have been brought to court after a homeless man's pet rabbit was thrown into the River Liffey.

Barney's owner John Patrick Byrne has become something of a hero after he jumped in to rescue his pet.

Mr Byrne said that he was sitting on O'Connell Bridge when a youth grabbed his pet rabbit Barney by the ears and flung him into the Liffey.

The 38-year-old immediately braved the river to rescue Barney. Both were subsequently rescued by Dublin Fire Brigade.

A 19-year-old Gary Kearney of Conyngham Road in Dublin has been charged under the Protection of Animals Act and with breaching the peace on July 3.

His case came before the District Court for the first time today and was put back for a week by Judge David McHugh.

Mr Byrne recently receives the ARAN compassion award for rescuing the animal.