Last remand’ for deer-farm fence wreckers

Press, 1 April 1980, Page 7

Last remand’ for deer-farm fence wreckers

PA. - \ - Levin .. ;'Twp. men. have been further remanded ,-in- the Magistrate’s. Court .at Levin on a charge of wil-. fill damage to a. fence sur-; rounding a deer farm hear ; Shannon in February. ~ . ~ On their third remand • since’conviction, this time I to*"Aprils 23, lan- Albert Gordon Douglas, aged 24, of Opiki, and John' ' Peter Wilkindori,’-' aged 22 of Shaimon; both freezing ■ workers, were told by Mr B. JJ McKerr, S.M., that it was‘ One more .chance to show that they were sincere in' their desire to make good the damage .they, had-done, 1 . The Magistrate said that, the remand was necessary to allow more negotiations on a deed of restitution between, the complainants’ solicitors and defendants’ counsel. “I am not. prepared to pass.this off.as a civil matter: it is as bad a case, of; wilful damage as one- could imagine,” he said. < “If- agreement cannot be reached in the" time;'the'

Court will deal with the criminal matter on April 23.”

The defendants had earlier pleaded guilty to the. charge. The damage to the fence and loss and recovery of deer, had made restitution a considerable sum, estimated at $20,585, Counsel for Douglas (Mr IN, S fl .Coles) said that, the deed under, discussion proa vided for Douglas to undertake to provide labour in replacing and repairing the enclosure. Douglas was in. a difficult position in that he had no assets to meet the sum, but was, however,, prepared to work under the complainant’s direction and, had already put in some work clearing the damaged fence. Counsel for Wilkinson (Mr C. Montague) said that he had not discussed :the deed in detail with his client, but his advice had been that it was impos- ' sible to avoid liability.

Neither counsel had fully discussed the ques- ■ tion of guarantors which ' the deed'refluired.