Teens fined for slitting caged wallaby's throat

Four teenagers who won a hunting prize with a caged wallaby they slaughtered have been given a second chance.

Rowan Murcott, 17, Jonathan Frew, 17, David Hanson, 17, and Brendan Nicolson, 18, appeared in the Oamaru District Court, jointly charged with cruelty to animals and theft of an animal.

On July 7 the youths decided to take part in a wallaby-hunting competition run by the Enfield Tavern.

They took firearms and travelled around the Waimate District in search of a wallaby, but were unsuccessful.

After consuming alcohol it was suggested by Nicolson they go to Waimate District Council-owned Victoria Park and capture one of the caged wallabies there.

They broke into the enclosure where five wallabies were kept, captured one and slit its throat. A second wallaby escaped during the incident and has not been found. The wallaby was worth $300.

On July 9 the youths entered the wallaby in a hunting competition where they won second prize - including money, T-shirts and food.

The competition organisers had been unaware the animal was stolen and believed it had been killed in the wild.

Defence counsel for Frew, Michael de Buyzer, said the boys were remorseful and regretted their actions. They were first-time offenders and were either in stable employment or still in high school.

Mr de Buyzer said it would be "a tragic shame" for the young men to end up with a conviction that would "haunt them for the rest of their days".

Judge John Macdonald said the cruelty to animals charge was "a very serious offence" which carried a penalty of up to three years' imprisonment.

However, he took into account that the boys would have been eligible for diversion and said it would be a pity for such a "stupid act" to impact seriously on their future.

They were discharged without conviction, ordered to pay $75 reparation each to cover the cost of the wallaby and donate $425 each to the SPCA.

- OAMARU MAIL