Awww! He scared the poor wee lads!

[Edbear]

Monday April 7, 08:57 PM
Man who shot at thieves goes on trial
The man who shot at fleeing teenage burglars was a vigilante who fired with no regard for their safety, a court was told today.

Garth Gadsby, 59, of Ngawi in South Wairarapa, appeared in Wellington District Court today facing one charge of recklessly discharging a firearm.

On September 18, 2006 Gadsby pursued and fired a shotgun at two teens in a stolen Mitsubishi Galant.

Gadsby believed the pair were responsible for several burglaries in the area.

In his opening address Crown prosecutor Grant Burston said Gadsby was a vigilante who fired at the car with no regard for the safety of the teens.

Mr Burston said the jury of 10 men and two women had to decided if Gadsby's actions were justified and reasonable.

Defence lawyer Paul Surridge told the court that Gadsby, president of Western Lakes Gun Club, came from an isolated community where residents had to look after themselves.

He said Ngawi was a respectable community where people often left their property and vehicles unlocked.

The crown called three of its 10 witnesses today including the police crime scene investigator Senior Constable Timothy Wilson and the Mitsubishi driver Brendon Taylor.

Mr Wilson told the court the Mitsubishi Galant was shot at least three times.

Owen Guthrie, 20, who was in one of the burgled baches while the other two were being shot at, told the court he had stolen the car in Wellington for the purpose of returning home to Wairarapa.

Guthrie, who has been in custody since he was arrested in Ngawi, said the trio had burgled several homes in both Lake Ferry and Ngawi.

Guthrie said he was asleep in the bach when Taylor and Joshua Diamond returned claiming to have been shot at.

"Josh was stressed and nearly crying, "Little B" (Taylor) was confused," he said.

All three had been drinking and fled the bach when residents arrived.

"We were all shit scared so we bolted out of the building and hid," Guthrie said.

Guthrie, Taylor and Diamond were arrested by police later that morning.

Gadsby, the jurors, judge and counsel will travel to the fishing and holiday village of Ngawi tomorrow to view "points of interest".

Residents of the coastal community raised more than $12,500 for Gadsby's defence.

The trial was expected to last four days.

[WRT]

On trial? Shit, pin a medal on him and buy him a beer.

[MisterD]

I heard Ralston interviewing the bloke on the radio last week...

Ralston:"Burglaries like this are uncommon?"
Gadsby:"Very, Ngawi is a small close-knit community."
Ralston:"Have there been any more since the alleged incident with the gun?"
Gadsby:"No."

[avgas]

The states seem more and more practical every day.
And they don't even use English properly there.

[DarkLord]

Some people deserve a damn good kick up the arse, and then cry and expect everyone to feel sorry for them when they get it.



We live in a country that's far too soft on people like that.

[Al]

Sorry for the hassle, up here in the Northern Territory there are a lot of feral bastards who believe that they have the "right" to hunt pig and wallaby on your land... Not so with us, shoot a couple of shots into the dam wall and we now have the reputation of: "those South Africans who shoot first and ask questions later..." Suits me fine!

Al

[enigma51]

He should be on trial for missing there heads!

[jrandom]

I agree that the burglars in question are scum, et cetera, but I feel compelled to raise the question of whether shooting at a man as he runs away with what you believe to be stolen property (not even yours, for that matter) is reasonable and civilised behaviour.

Bear in mind that I've always advocated a law-abiding citizen's right to go forth armed and capable of defending themselves.

This, however, has nothing to do with self-defence. Mr Gadsby's actions constitute taking the law into his own hands and judging car thieves as worthy of being attacked on sight with a deadly weapon.

I'm no limpdick liberal, but I do think that the Police were quite right in this instance to charge him with recklessly discharging a firearm.

I have no wish to live in a society where a general suspicion that one is a thief is seen as justification for being shot on sight.

[MisterD]

I'm no limpdick liberal, but I do think that the Police were quite right in this instance to charge him with recklessly discharging a firearm.

Wasn't he one of the main blokes in the gun club? In which case there's probably a good argument that it was a well aimed and not reckless discharge of the weapon....more seriously, won't the case of that farmer that fired at the thieves driving off with his quadbike be precedent? I can't remember the outcome of that in the end.

Ooh look, thievery is bad for your health

[Str8 Jacket]

Dingalinglingling ling! :spudguita

[jrandom]

won't the case of that farmer that fired at the thieves driving off with his quadbike be precedent?

Somewhat different circumstances; that was a case of a man on his own surprising three intruders on his property at night.

[MisterD]

Somewhat different circumstances; that was a case of a man on his own surprising three intruders on his property at night.

But similar, in that the "perps" were making their escape and no longer a threat to be defended against. I will watch with interest.

[MIXONE]

There was a case years ago in Whakatane where a farmer spotted thieves making off with his ute.He fired a warning shot over the roof of said truck but the dickhead standing up in the tray got it in the face.His mates stopped the ute ran back and stripped the patch off wounded perp and left him to die on his own.(no brohood in the Mob that night!)The farmer was charged but eventually acquitted(justice got it right that day) however it cost him everything including his family and he had to leave NZ in fear of payback.I think he still lives in Oz somewhere.

[DarkLord]

There was a case years ago in Whakatane where a farmer spotted thieves making off with his ute.He fired a warning shot over the roof of said truck but the dickhead standing up in the tray got it in the face.His mates stopped the ute ran back and stripped the patch off wounded perp and left him to die on his own.(no brohood in the Mob that night!)The farmer was charged but eventually acquitted(justice got it right that day) however it cost him everything including his family and he had to leave NZ in fear of payback.I think he still lives in Oz somewhere.

What an absolute joke. The poor guy didn't ask for anything and those bastards come and try and steal something of his. He fights them off and loses everything for standing up for himself and has to leave the country.

That is disgusting.

[NZsarge]

I'm torn on this one, without knowing at what proximity the preps were to offending flying lead ie: was Mr Gadsby shooting directly at them? Anyway whatever, i'm 100% sure I would'nt be out there with a shoty too, not to intensionally harm mind but sure as hell give them the message to "F" off and don't ever come back, and for self defence should they decide not to run.
If it can be proved he was'nt aiming at them with the intension to actually hit them I reckon he should be let off with a reasonable slap off the wrists.