KEY POINTS:
An early-morning raid on newly planted roses by a woman armed with a pesticide spray had its sequel in Christchurch District Court today.
Judge David Saunders heard details of a long simmering dispute between neighbours in a quiet Christchurch hill suburb as a 52-year-old retired woman appeared on wilful damage and trespass charges.
The woman, whose name was permanently suppressed today, pleaded guilty to the charges three weeks ago, but Judge Saunders declined to enter a conviction so he could consider medical evidence and references.
The woman's lawyer, Paul Johnson, sought a discharge without conviction, citing a "significant background" to the offending.
Earlier police evidence told of the woman being trespassed from her neighbours' property last October. At 6.42 one morning last December, she was seen to walk onto the property and spray the weedkiller Roundup on the freshly planted roses.
When she was questioned, she denied either trespassing or spraying.
She originally pleaded not guilty when the case came to court in December, but changed her plea to guilty at a status hearing on March 8.
Her neighbours weren't in court today when Judge Saunders told the woman he had opted to go along with Mr Johnson's submissions against conviction after reading a letter from the woman's doctor and references from respected people in the community who considered her actions an aberration.
The judge noted that tensions between the neighbours had been aired in a Disputes Tribunal hearing two years ago and there was an "extensive background" to their hostilities.
"It is almost bizarre that each of you are using surveillance cameras," Judge Saunders told the woman.
While he accepted a conviction was inappropriate, he warned her: "Hostilities really have to cease from this day on."
He imposed a $2000 good behaviour bond for a year under the Summary Proceedings Act and ordered the woman to pay her neighbours $50 reparations for the damaged roses and a further $500 for "emotional harm".
- NZPA
