Duck's protection order continues

His attacker will one day be out of jail, but Circles the

duck may always have his order of protection.

Quietly ending an odd case of animal abuse that made international

headlines, a Mastic man yesterday pleaded guilty to felony aggravated animal

cruelty charges in connection with a March 17 pellet gun attack on his

neighbors' pet Pekin duck.

Ylik Mathews, 21, is expected to be sentenced next month to a year in

county jail. Suffolk County Court Judge James C. Hudson continued an order of

protection for Circles, who fully recovered after being shot in the throat, and

his owner, Janet Lippincott, also of Mastic.

Orders of protection usually expire in a year, but can be indefinitely

extended if warranted by the court.

Mathews' lawyer, Mark G. Kirshner, of East Islip, said the sentence

included a penalty for Mathews' parole violation on an attempted robbery

conviction.

Kirshner said Mathews "maintains it was an accident" and "is happy the duck

is doing well."