Jail sentence deserved, bird club president says

Timaru Bird Club president Joy Agnew is satisfied the sentences given to two of the three men involved in the death of 32 birds at the Temuka Aviary in early August "should be enough to deter anyone".

She was at Timaru District Court last Wednesday for the sentencing of 22-year-old fisherman Jonathan Ramon Douglas Fleming and 27-year-old beneficiary Simiona Paul John.

They were both sentenced to 12 months in jail for wilfully ill-treating animals, and burglary. Fleming was also sentenced to a further 14 months' jail for other convictions arising out of the offending at the aviary - driving under the influence, two charges of careless driving, making a false statement to police and attempting to pervert the course of justice - and for offences committed in September while on bail.

When the two men and one accomplice, who has not yet entered a plea, broke into the Temuka Aviary in the early hours of August 5 and killed 32 birds it made national headlines and deeply unsettled residents.

"I think they deserved it," Mrs Agnew said of their sentencing.

"I was worried they would only get home detention."

Mrs Agnew said the community support had continued to be amazing, with more than $7000 raised for the aviary, including some donations from the United States.

Part of that money is being used to install two security cameras at the aviary to deter future attacks.

Mrs Agnew hoped the sentences given out last week would be more than enough to stop any future incidents.

"Hopefully, it will never ever happen again. The sentences should be enough to deter anyone."

Timaru Mayor Janie Annear said it was sad there needed to be security cameras installed.

"It's disappointing in this day and age that you need to have cameras, but that's the reality."

- Anna Geddes