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A Taranaki farmer who admitted sending a letter filled with white powder to Prime Minister Helen Clark at Parliament has been jailed for nine months.
Douglas Hancock, 61, who farms near Matau, 42km east of Inglewood, appeared for sentence in Hawera District Court today on a charge of making criminal threats.
Three staff members and a security officer had to be decontaminated, and 58 employees evacuated from the eighth floor housing the Department of the Prime Minister after the letter was delivered on August 13.
The letter called Miss Clark a "gutter mole" and warned her to get out of the country while she still could.
The powder was eventually discovered to be flour.
Judge Alan Roberts told Hancock that prison was his only option in order to prevent copycat offending.
He rejected defence suggestions of community work or home detention, and said the crime was tailor made for copycats and a light sentence could lead to prolific similar offending.
Hancock was also ordered to pay $4694 to the Fire Service and $500 to four employees who touched his missive.
- NZPA
