Woman sending 'message' to pilot with hunting bow

A woman whose partner has cancer says she was sending

A woman whose partner has cancer was sending "a message" to a pilot carrying out aerial spraying when she aimed a hunting bow at his helicopter, she told the Hamilton District Court.

Rosemary McDonald, 50, pleaded not guilty to presenting an object like a firearm, when she appeared in court yesterday, the Waikato Times reported.

McDonald said she was acting in self-defence when she aimed the bow at the helicopter, which had splashed fungicide over her house. She blamed the spray for causing her partner's cancer.

"All I could think about was to stop him to protect Peter. I wanted the pilot to back off and decease from attacking us," she said.

The pilot believed she had a gun and took evasive action. He clipped a tree and caused $100,000 of damage to his helicopter.

Police prosecutor Eilidh Hook said McDonald was not in imminent danger from the spray, and had elected to go outside during the operation.

Judge Connell reserved his decision until August.

- NZPA