Shooting ducks out of season costs teens $1000

CLEAN SLATE: Daniel John Marfell (left) and Thomas Francis Williams, both 19, have been discharged without conviction for shooting ducks out of season. PHOTO/FILE

Farm owner asked pair of teens to cull game birds

Two teenagers who underwent a restorative justice conference with Fish & Game after pleading guilty to shooting ducks out of season have been discharged without conviction but must pay $1000 towards prosecution.

Daniel John Marfell and Thomas Francis Williams, both 19, shot nine paradise selducks, geese and two mallard ducks on the Palmer's farm at Mauriceville on March 29 and were both referred for a meeting with their victim - Fish & Game. They had been asked by the farmer to cull game birds as they were damaging pastures.

The court heard the restorative justice meeting went extremely well.

Fish & Game prosecutor Phillip Drummond said the pair were heard shooting the game birds by an inspector who went to investigate and found the pair loading the birds into their ute.

Lawyer Jock Blathwayt handed up a letter to the court from the farm's owner who had asked the young men to kill game birds causing havoc to new pastures on the property.

In the letter the farmer said he felt partly responsible and spoke of how apologetic the men were about the incident.

They offered to pay $1000 to Fish & Game.

The pair thought it was okay to kill the game birds without a licence and didn't realise it was out of season, Mr Blathwayt said. The hunting season doesn't begin until May.

Marfell is a rural fire officer while Williams works for a machinery company.

In sentencing the pair, Judge Jan Kelly said they were both of good character and a conviction would put their jobs in jeopardy.

"You have shown nothing but remorse," she said.

She discharged them both without conviction and ordered them to pay $1000 compensation to Fish & Game to be paid by November 20.