The Katikati man who admitted to purposely running down a black swan with a jet boat and causing distress to six others on Tauranga Harbour has been sentenced to four months community detention and fined $3500.
Carl Williams, 36, appeared for sentencing in Tauranga District Court today after earlier pleading guilty to two charges of wilful ill treatment of an animal.
Carl Williams was sentenced to four and a half months community detention and fined $3500.
The ill-treatment charges relate to an incident on Tauranga Harbour on Boxing Day last year where Williams was filmed driving a jet boat speeding towards black swans.
In the recording one of the black swans is seen going under the bow into the wake of the boat where it struggles. Six others are also viewed to be in distress as they attempted to escape the path of the boat.
In sentencing today the Crown sought a jail term on the two charges of wilful ill treatment of an animal.
But Williams' lawyer Mark Beech successfully argued for a community detention sentence.
Judge Peter Rollo sentenced Williams to four and a half months community detention and a fine of $2500 on the first charge.
On a second charge of breaching the Animal Welfare Act Williams was sentenced to four and a half months community detention to be served concurrently and an additional $1000 fine.
Williams has already paid $6596 in reparation and made a $500 donation to a bird sanctuary as well.
According to court documents a recording of the incident that took place was handed in to the SPCA in February.
The footage was reviewed and charges under the Animal Welfare Act were laid.
12 comments
A good outcome
Posted on 03-10-2013 11:28 | By The Sage
The character of this guy is seriously questionable if he can do this sort of thing with disregard for other life forms. Plus kids witnessed it, I hope they don't turn out like his example.
Swan killing
Posted on 03-10-2013 12:24 | By OAP
GOOD, now lets see those who indulge in the so called "culling" of swans also convicted and preferably jailed!!!
reparation
Posted on 03-10-2013 13:14 | By shooterm92
I hope the families of the swans spend the money wisely considering in the month of May they get slaughtered in the swan drives anyway. Watch out shooters you will be fined next
now if I was the Judge!!!!
Posted on 03-10-2013 18:44 | By Sambo Returns
...to the recreational harbour users, are the black swans destroying the ecological system of the harbour or not? and in the next years are your children and grand children, going to be able to catch good eating fish, and spear flounder? the black swans on the Tauranga harbour are a problem, and as soon as all you tree huggers, who do not enjoy a few raw out door pleasures, come down from your thrones and look at a bigger picture, rather than your selfish perspective.
shooterm92
Posted on 03-10-2013 22:17 | By monty1212
You are just as stupid and heartless as this guy for making a comment like that. This is a cruelty issue and not about culling! What is it about people who hurt and kill for the sake of it and to get some sort of perverted pleasure from it. Makes you wonder about the sanity of some people!
Bus driver
Posted on 03-10-2013 22:21 | By rosscoo
To those who had bad experience from bus driver. Please note that only one off we all not like that one driver. I pride myself in my politeness and always greet my passengers with a smile and good morning/afternoon. I always try to help if I can. We are indivuals and yes there is always a bad egg in every large group/organisation. I have never driver passed or refused a passenger. All I ask be honest. Parents please if your child is aged between 12 - 15 yrs have them carry there Student ID card or be honest about there age as some kids in this age bracket look older and we do not know how old they are only there mothers do so please all we ask is honesty or Student ID during holidays.
once again!!!!
Posted on 04-10-2013 08:25 | By Sambo Returns
why can a re activist drink driver, with far more potential to kill or maim HUMANS, gets way less of a sentence, hysteria and the "eco lawyers", have swayed this case, while he deserves some sort of punishment, where is the 3.5k going?
monty1212
Posted on 04-10-2013 11:17 | By shooterm92
Firstly I am not stupid but trying to make a point about where does all the reperation and fine money go. My point is not about the cruelty of the animals which was bad and there is no excuse for it and he was punished accordingly but more so as to where does the money from the reperation etc go to and I raise this issue with not just animal cruelty but also when a human life is taken or someone is injured in a workplace there are fines etc but where does it go.
Bus Driver
Posted on 04-10-2013 14:01 | By Dawn
??? What do bus drivers and Swans have in common?
??
Posted on 04-10-2013 15:21 | By HappyBay
Really? Some odd comments on this story. Culling birds to preserve the marine environment is very different from willfully hurting animals for no good reason. Assume the reparations went on treatment costs or the cost of the prosecution, and fair enogh.
is it ok then?
Posted on 04-10-2013 20:47 | By yp6divs
@shooterm92 - do you condone what Carl Williams did? If not, how do you think he should have been punished? @Sambo Returns - what do you think the punishment should have been then?
so when
Posted on 05-10-2013 15:05 | By Bevin
So when do doc and fish and game get their fines. they allow the swan shoot and drop 1080 in the bush. If you are going to fine one for wilful ill treatment of animals then don't stop there. As for character Have you never got a little carried away in the moment in your life and regretted it latter.I agree with other comments you can drive drunk with the chance of killing someone and still get less of a fine.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.