By Rachel Smalley and 3 News online staff
3 News can now report the details of three further criminal charges against Ewen Macdonald after the suppression orders around them lapsed.
Macdonald was found not guilty of murdering brother-in-law Scott Guy, but he has however admitted six other charges, including an arson attack and emptying a vat of milk on Nigel Sexton's farm.
Mr Sexton told 3 News about how he challenged Macdonald – he says he felt threatened by Macdonald's poaching
"We had one stag shot within 600 metres of the house and the cape (skin) taken off," says Mr Sexton.
"That's pretty violating when its 600 metres from your house."
Macdonald was caught poaching on Mr Sexton's property by a neighbouring farmer Paul Barber in 2007.
He apologised, but weeks later came back. Macdonald and an accomplice emptied thousands of litres of milk from Mr Sexton's milk vat, and on the same night slaughtered 19 calves in a shed on Mr Barber's farm.
Six months later they burnt down the Sextons' historic hunting whare – Mr Sexton says Macdonald knew it would hurt his family.
"No doubt it was revenge," says Mr Sexton.
The jury at Macdonald's murder trial were told about other charges Macdonald admits over poaching and damaging and burning houses linked to Scott and Kylee Guy.
The three other charges were suppressed after his lawyer argued they'd unfairly influence the jury.
A sentencing date on all the charges will be set next month
Macdonald’s list of offending:
- Criminal damage: Slaughtering 19 calves belonging to Himatangi dairy farmer Paul Barber on the night of August 9, 2007. The calves had been struck on the head with an object.
- Criminal damage: Emptying 16,000 litres of milk from a vat belonging to another Himatangi farmer, Nigel Sexton, on the same night the calves were culled.
- Arson: Burning down an historic Maori whare built in 1888 which was on Mr Sexton’s farm. Macdonald used an LPG bottle and boat fuel to start the fire. The whare was used as a family sleep out and a duck shooter’s shelter.
- Theft: Driving to a nearby farm and shooting two trophy stags. He put them on his trailer and buried them in a pre-dug hole on the Guy family farm, where he was a manager.
- Criminal damage: Burning down an old farm house on the back of removal trailers at the site of Scott and Kylee Guy’s new home. The house and trailers were destroyed.
- Criminal damage: Vandalising Scott and Kylee Guy’s new home once construction had nearly finished.
More on Ewen Macdonald:
The month-long murder trial was heard in Wellington last month where a jury found Macdonald not guilty.
Police interviews from the day Macdonald was arrested were played in court which show him admitting the three crimes.
3 News