Man pleads guilty to organised sheep slaughter

Hamish van der Wielhas pleaded guilty today in the Palmerston North District Court. Photo / File

A Pahiatua man who took part in the organised killing of 16 sheep has pleaded guilty today in the Palmerston North District Court.

Hamish van der Wiel, 24, had previously pleaded not guilty to two charges of theft but today changed his pleas after a third charge was withdrawn.

Judge Gregory Ross sentenced van der Wiel to 75 hours community work and ordered him to pay $468 out of $2320 reparation.

The court had heard van der Wiel and three others went to two properties in Eketahuna between July 1 and July 2 this year. They slaughtered 16 sheep, many of them in-lamb ewes due to give birth the following month.

Returning to Pahiatua, the offenders then cut up the carcasses in a shed and sold the meat.

Judge Ross said, after reading the victim impact statements, it was clear the sight had been distressing. Heads and a dead ram had been left at the scene.

Defence lawyer Mike Andrews said his client had played a lesser role in the offending and had not organised the killings or the sale of the meat.

He argued his client's previous criminal history had tapered off and he was now in employment in Pahiatua.

Judge Ross said the group had acted in a pack with the purpose of gaining financially.

Debra Lee Ann Paulson who was charged with receiving the meat also pleaded guilty this morning after her charge was amended. She received 100 hours community work.

The fourth co-accused, Holly Marlow, is due to be sentenced for her part later this month while two others have already been sentenced to 175 and 200 hours community work.