Bay woman hits neighbour while drunkenly shooting at roosters

Lorraine Niven is awaiting sentence after admitting two firearm charges in the Tauranga District Court. She was drunkenly firing at roosters on her property. Photo / 123RF

A Katikati woman accidentally shot her 15-year-old neighbour while drunkenly firing her air rifle at roosters on her property.

Lorraine Marjorie Niven, 46, who appeared in the Tauranga District Court on Friday, pleaded guilty to a charge of recklessly discharging a firearm.

Niven was earlier convicted of a charge of being intoxicated in charge of a firearm which related to the same incident, the court heard.

No conviction has yet been entered in relation to the second charge while Niven's lawyer explores the possibility of applying for a discharge without conviction.

The court heard that on August 31 this year while at her home Niven was intoxicated after drinking most of the day, having consumed a bottle of wine and some beers.

She was in possession of an air rifle for culling unwanted roosters on her property.

About 5pm Niven fired the rifle in the direction of her neighbour's property oblivious that a 15-year-old boy and his associate were working on a vehicle parked outside the other address about 70m away

An air pellet struck the boy in his left side around his rib area.

He felt a sharp sudden pain and was left with red welt but did not require medical treatment, the court heard.

When the victim looked down he saw a damaged air pellet on the ground and when he looked up he saw Niven standing on her deck holding the air rifle.

Niven told police she was shooting at roosters and did not mean to hit the victim.

Her lawyer Phoebe Bromley urged Judge Christopher Harding not to enter a conviction to allow her client to make an application for a discharge without conviction.

Judge Harding told Ms Bromley was being "extremely wishful" given the seriousness of this offending.

The judge remanded Niven on bail for a restorative justice meeting referral and sentencing on November 1.