Roxburgh man convicted of poaching ‘just doesn’t care’ — judge
| Published date | 25 May 2023 |
| Publication title | Central Otago News |
The police summary of facts said the forest was divided into blocks that were balloted out to hunters every weekend.
All the blocks had been balloted out for that day, with lawful hunters active throughout it, when a company worker saw Harliwich’s vehicle parked on a road inside the forest.
The man called police, who stopped Harliwich and Gunn as they were driving the vehicle, with dogs in a trailer, a short time later.
They had two rifles and an assortment of ammunition with them.
Harliwich told police he thought he was on Department of Conservation (Doc) land, but could not produce a Doc hunting permit for the area.
The pair appeared in the Alexandra District Court for sentencing last week, Harliwich on charges of unlawful hunting, unlawfully possessing two rifles, and unlawfully possessing ammunition, and Gunn on a single unlawful hunting charge.
Harliwich was also sentenced on charges of unlawfully possessing ammunition, on August 1, and breaching an alcohol interlock licence, on January 13, in Beaumont.
Counsel Kieran Tohill said it was clear they should have sought permission from the forest’s owner.
Judge Michael Turner said it seemed Harliwich ‘‘just doesn’t care’’.
He had never had a firearms licence, had put other people’s safety at risk by going hunting on private property without permission, and had driven a vehicle without an alcohol interlock fitted.
Gunn’s offending was aggravated by the fact he had yet to complete community work imposed as part of his sentence for a 2021 conviction for careless use of a firearm causing bodily injury.
He sentenced Harliwich to six months’ community detention, with a weekend curfew, 100 hours’ community work, and imposed a $1000 fine for the ammunition charges.
He ordered the forfeiture of the dogs’ GPS collars and tracking device, firearms and ammunition.
He also disqualified him from driving for 28 days, with alcohol interlock provisions.
Gunn was sentenced to two months’ and two weeks’ community detention, with a weekend curfew.
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