AN Exmoor farmer who confronted a neighbour with a shotgun in a row over sheep worrying has been jailed for ten months after a jury found him guilty of having a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
Robert Norman, 52, of Hillview Farm, Brompton Ralph, drove up to Richard Webber at Pitpear Farm, Lydeard St Lawrence, and threatened to shoot his dogs for killing two of his ewes.
When his neighbour defied him, Norman pointed a shotgun at his chest and said “I’ll shoot you then”, Taunton Crown Court was told.
Judge David Ticehurst said his behaviour was “wholly inappropriate and unjustified – the jury concluded you deliberately armed yourself with a shotgun and cartridges.”
He said Mr Webber feared for his life and was also worried for the safety of his partner, Louise, and children.
It would have been a terrifying experience, the judge added.
“Mr Webber would not have known if the gun was loaded or not. If the barrel of a shotgun is not broken, the assumption is that it is loaded, and there were children present, although in the safety of a car.”
Patrick Mason, defending, said Norman was widely respected in the community where he lived with his partner and two children and he was “a very good-hearted man”.
His life was pestered by dogs and he had been provoked by dogs which were of “a particular nuisance”. A report to an all-party parliamentary committee on animal welfare had said that 15,000 sheep a year died “as a result of this sort of thing”.
Norman was physically tough and robust but his mental health had caused him to tip over the rails. If he had meant to cause Mr Webber harm, he could have easily overwhelmed him physically and there was no evidence the gun was loaded. There had been no trouble since the incident a year ago.
Mr Mason said Norman had been under extreme provocation and stress and, if he went to prison, the effect on him, his family and community would be “excessive and dispropor- tionate”.
He would “probably go into bankruptcy”. He had shown remorse and learned his lesson.