Community work for Scott Guy case letter writer

A man who sent a malicious letter to the mother-in-law of murdered Fielding farmer Scott Guy (pictured), has been sentenced to 300 hours' community work. Photo / APN

A man who sent a malicious letter to the mother of the widow of slain Feilding farmer Scott Guy has been sentenced to 300 hours' community work.

Richard Johnson, 41, sent the anonymous note to Kylee Guy's mother Dianne Bullock, who he fell out with when they worked together in 2007.

The letter, typed on a computer with letters that appear to be dripping blood, read: "...oh how sad that such a tragedy has beset your family.

"How awful for you and your daughter. But you are such a cold-hearted bitch...I doubt this incident has had much effect on you anyway. What goes around comes around."

Johnson was found guilty in May in Hastings District Court on a charge of wasting police time, but Mr Guy's father Scott said the greater impact was on Ms Bullock and her daughter.

"It brought back a lot of the heartache from those early days, when Scotty was first killed," he told told the Dominion Post.

Judge Alistair Garland said it was only his lack of previous convictions which saw him avoid something harsher than his final sentence of 300 hours community work and $1500 reparation to Mrs Bullock.

Mr Guy's brother-in-law Ewen Macdonald has been charged with Mr Guy's murder.

- NZPA