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Home / New Zealand

Nelson mechanic Marie Hearn pleads guilty to shooting colleague’s cars

Tracy Neal
Tracy Neal
Open Justice multimedia journalist, Nelson-Marlborough·NZ Herald·
22 Dec, 2025 05:00 AM2 mins to read

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Diesel mechanic Marie Hearn has admitted charges linked to shooting eight rounds of bullets into two cars owned by a work colleague. Her lawyer has alleged that bullying was behind the offending. Photo / 123rf

Diesel mechanic Marie Hearn has admitted charges linked to shooting eight rounds of bullets into two cars owned by a work colleague. Her lawyer has alleged that bullying was behind the offending. Photo / 123rf

A diesel mechanic shot eight rounds of bullets into two cars owned by a colleague amid allegations of workplace bullying.

Today, Marie Hearn, 62, admitted in the Nelson District Court to discharging a firearm in a public place, possessing a firearm after her licence had been revoked and two charges of possessing ammunition unlawfully.

The mechanic, who described herself on social media as a former firefighter, worked for a Nelson industrial firm and drove to the workplace premises about 8.30pm on June 6.

She parked for several minutes on the road, facing the victim’s two vehicles.

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According to the police summary of facts, she fired about eight rounds at the two cars, hitting both of them.

The bullet holes were consistent with a smaller-calibre rifle round, police said.

On September 16, police searched the workplace premises and found Hearn with 59 rounds of .22 calibre ammunition.

Police said the ammunition was in a toolbox.

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On the same day, police searched Hearn’s Nelson home and found 21 shotgun rounds.

They also found a .22 rifle stored beneath the house.

Hearn told police she had acquired the firearm and ammunition at the time she held a firearms licence, and denied shooting the vehicles.

In court, she appeared nervous during her brief plea appearance, where she was convicted and remanded on bail before sentencing in May.

Hearn’s lawyer alleged workplace bullying was behind her actions.

NZME approached the general manager of the firm where Hearn worked, who was unable to comment until after sentencing.

Hearn, a diesel mechanic, talked publicly about a decade ago about undergoing gender reassignment surgery in Thailand.

She told Stuff in 2016 that after her transition, she struggled at work where there was “no place for wigs at a workshop”, and makeup was a waste of time when it “runs down your face after the first 30 minutes”.

She said her main goal was to have people call her Marie.

Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.

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