|
Bail for farmer who shot dogs
18/06/2007 21:30 - (SA)
Pretoria - A Carolina farmer, jailed for three years for shooting three dogs on his farm, has been granted R3 000 bail and leave to appeal against his conviction and sentence.
Pretoria High Court Judge Willie Hartzenberg said the Caroline magistrate who sentenced Leon Dormehl, 51, had erred in finding that another court would not interfere with his conviction and sentence.
Caroline Magistrate Godfrey Netshizwi found Dormehl guilty of negligently handling a firearm and malicious damage to property after he shot dead three dogs on his farm, Witrand, outside Caroline in December 2003.
Dormehl claimed he had shot the dogs after seeing a group of people illegally hunting antelope on the farm.
State witnesses, however, testified that they had not been on the farm, but on a nearby railway line and that Dormehl had shot the dogs in the midst of a group of people.
The magistrate not only sentenced Dormehl to direct imprisonment, but thereafter also refused him leave to appeal and turned down his application to reopen the case. He also refused Dormehl bail pending a petition to the High Court.
Dormehl had spent five weeks in jail when he was granted bail.
- SAPA
|
News
