Man fires airgun at neighbour's house

Whanganui District Court

A man has admitted firing an airgun towards his neighbour's house, hitting it twice and cracking windows.

Phillip James Shand pleaded guilty in the Whanganui District Court on Tuesday to discharging a firearm near a dwelling.

On June 30 the victim arrived home to Morgan Street, Castlecliff, to find Shand leaning on a fence tapping a knife against it, police prosecutor Sergeant Rachel Willemsen said.

Shand said something to the victim, who continued around to his own back yard.

Shand went inside and grabbed a .177 air rifle and fired it at the victim's house six times, Ms Willemsen said.

Two shots hit the house, cracking the windows.

When spoken to by police, Shand said the victim had been harassing him and his dogs.

Defence lawyer Anna Brosnahan said there was an "ongoing dispute" between the neighbours and the victim was "well known to the police".

She said the dispute was "basically in relation to the state of the house next door and also the dogs going along the property".

"They're both trying to get on with their lives and get on with each other as best they can," she said.

Ms Willemsen said she knew the weapon was "only an airgun" but said it was "still a firearm".

Judge David Cameron remanded the matter to July 27 for sentencing.