P-crazed farmer threatened officer's wife

An Opunake farmer crazed on P has been ordered to pay a police officer's wife $2000 after he threatened her and screamed obscenities outside her home.

Paul Harrop, 38, admitted intimidating and disorderly behaviour and resisting arrest following the incident, the Taranaki Daily News reported.

In Hawera District Court yesterday, Judge Allan Roberts said Harrop's lifestyle was out of control.

The court was told how the local Opunake officer's wife was home alone at 1am on January 27 with her two small children when an out-of-control Harrop arrived, yelling and threatening to cut the head off police officers.

"Such was your behaviour she feared for her safety and that you would gain access to her property," the judge said.

"This yelling and screaming in the roadway is not whisky, it's P."

His lawyer, Kelly Marriner, said Harrop had had a wake-up call after spending three weeks in custody and accepted he had a drug addiction.

Judge Roberts ordered Harrop to hand over $2000 as an emotional harm reparation to the officer's wife before he left court. He was also sentenced to nine months' supervision during which he is to attend drug and alcohol counselling.

- NZPA