By Adam Ray
Ewen Macdonald's jail sentence of five years is not long enough for many in his home town of Feilding.
Arthur Evans has lived in the town for most of his life, and says MacDonald deserves more than five years in jail for his crimes, which have gripped the town.
“Is that it? Only five years? Put a zero after it, make it 50 years,” he says. “He is nothing short of a mongrel.”
Macdonald's crimes included killing deer and slaughtering calves with a hammer, making them even more distressing to a farming community like Feilding.
In the small town some know both the offender and the victims, which local Chantel Coleman says has led to divided loyalties.
“I knew, know both sides of the family, so it's mixed emotions whether he should have got more or not,” she says.
Brittons House Movers lost trailers worth more than $1 million after Macdonald burnt them. The firm's operations manager said Macdonald's sentence was too short and he had not heard a word of remorse.
Chris Laing, another local, says today’s sentencing will not be the end of the case for Feilding.
“Ultimately there's still an unsolved mystery out there, an unsolved murder,” he says.
Neighbours of the Macdonald family said that Ewen’s parents were popular and well-liked, but none of them wanted to comment on the chance of Ewen being released there when he leaves jail.
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