A Reefton man who shot two stags on a farm last year when he became "trigger-happy" was sentenced in Westport District Court yesterday to community detention.
Dane Luke Hardy-Dillon, 18, told Judge Jane Farish he had shot at a possum on a farm, startling stags who began running. He'd had a couple of beers and become trigger-happy and over-excited and shot at them.
He was sentenced yesterday for unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawfully being in a yard and theft of animals.
Responding to Judge Farish's questions, Hardy-Dillon said he'd never had a gun licence but a friend who was with him at the time did.
Judge Farish said it was a pity, considering Hardy-Dillon liked hunting, that it would now be hard for him to get a firearms licence. Hunting was a great sport on the West Coast and could keep people out of mischief.
