WOODCUTTER GOES TO JAIL FOR SHOOTING DRUG GROWER

A woodcutter who shot and killed a cannabis grower after finding him
secretly tending plants on the family farm has been sentenced to three
years' jail - to the outrage of his neighbours.

Brendon MacDonald, aged 27, of Paengaroa, shot Grant Bourne, 36, in the
back with a .308 hunting rifle on January 14 last year.

MacDonald found 25 cannabis plants in a gully at the back of the Maniatutu
Rd farm several days before, and said he meant only to confront Mr Bourne,
not kill him.

Justice Hugh Williams took into account MacDonald's "unblemished" record
and 30 testimonials from supporters when sentencing him in the High Court
at Rotorua yesterday.

The judge said Mr Bourne had no right to be on the property. He was a
trespasser and was committing a criminal offence.

But MacDonald had no legal justification for shooting him.

Justice Williams said the proper course of action would have been to call
police.

But people who live in the same road as the MacDonalds - and have long
complained about discovering cannabis plots on their land - said
MacDonald's sentence sent the wrong message to dope growers.

"Nothing's changed and giving sentences like this doesn't do anything for
us as a community," said a woman who declined to be identified.

"It lets people know they can do anything they want."

She said farmers were tired of stumbling upon booby traps and electric
fences protecting cannabis plots in quiet corners of their properties.

They had seen carloads of cannabis plants being driven up their road, and
recently started patrolling the area.

Two days ago, a woman was woken in the middle of the night by what she
suspected were cannabis growers outside her house.

"She was beside herself," said another neighbour. "There's an implied
threat [from the growers]."

She complained that it took Te Puke police 30 minutes to reach farms in
Maniatutu Rd, by which time the growers were long gone.

Detective Alan Kingsbury said hidden dope plots were a problem in
Paengaroa, but he described all of the Bay of Plenty as prime cannabis
growing country.

"Paengaroa does not have its own climate microcosm.

"We have concerns about [hidden cannabis plots], but we'd rather the public
contacted us rather than try to take care of it themselves."

Debbie Campny, Mr Bourne's sister, said she was disappointed with
MacDonald's short sentence but appreciated his honesty in admitting to the
shooting.