Wairarapa sheep killer bailed

Holly Louise Marlow, 26, appeared before Judge Stephanie Edwards on sheep theft and slaughter charges and was remanded on bail to reappear for sentencing in October.

A Pahiatua woman jointly charged with others over the theft and slaughter of 16 sheep has pleaded guilty in the Palmerston North District Court.

Holly Louise Marlow, 26, appeared before Judge Stephanie Edwards on Thursday afternoon. She was remanded on bail to reappear for sentencing in October.

Marlow also pleaded guilty to a charge of obstructing police and one for possession of a pipe used to smoke methamphetamine.

The police prosecutor said Marlow and three others arranged for the sale of stolen meat on June 29. Then between July 1 and 2 the four went to two lifestyle properties in Eketahuna and killed 16 sheep. Several of these were pregnant ewes due to lamb in the next two months.

After returning to Pahiatua, the meat was allegedly on-sold to Debra Lee Ann Paulson. It was said the offenders received $750 for the meat, equating to around $15 for each sheep they had killed.

It was also said when police went to Marlow's home on June 11 to execute an unrelated search warrant, she purposely placed her cellphone under running water. When asked to stop, she opened the phone and told officers "I can do what I want." Police located bags and a pipe used for methamphetamine.

Paulson appeared before a registrar yesterday morning and entered not guilty pleas on two charges of receiving the meat valued at over $2100. She was remanded on bail and will reappear in October.

Two of the alleged co-offenders, Tyson Lewis and Hamish Van Der Wiel, took the stand yesterday and were both remanded on bail to a date in October. Neither entered pleas and Van Der Wiel's request to have his 7pm - 7am curfew lifted when in the company of his father, was granted.

The fourth man charged will appear later this month.