Case dropped for lack of sheep ID

Police have been forced to drop a prosecution because they had no way of positively identifying a stolen sheep.

Corrie Wilson Hogg, 20, of Tahunanui, Nelson, admitted stealing a sheep from the Moutere area on May 3.

But midway through the case at the Nelson District Court, prosecutor John Hippolite had a quiet word with the defence counsel before informing Judge David McKegg: "We can't prove that the sheep stolen is the one we had charged him with."

He then withdrew the charge, much to the amusement of others in court.

Prior to that, Mr Hippolite had told the court that Hogg stole a sheep from a paddock, cut its throat, skinned and gutted it.

Hogg admitted stealing a sheep, telling police he took it to "help him out food-wise", Mr Hippolite said.

Defence counsel Mark Dollimore said Hogg was in a "disastrous" financial situation, with little money, no food and power due to being cut off. He also owed about $15,000 in fines.

Hogg had since apologised to the farmer and agreed to pay $65 reparation, he said.

Judge McKegg accepted the decision by police to withdraw the charge but decided to deal with Hogg's outstanding fines while he was in court.

Hogg was sentenced to 200 hours of community work in lieu of his fines.

- NZPA