Man sentenced for stealing water
A Shepparton man has faced court over water theft and tampering with Goulburn-Murray Water equipment.
The man was charged with unauthorised taking and using of water, and interfering with the property of an authority.
He did not appear in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court for his matter and it was heard in his absence.
G-MW started the prosecution after discovering both a regulator and meter outlet had been switched from automatic mode into local mode, subsequently allowing water to be rerouted without a water order being placed with the authority.
The manipulation of the regulator triggered an alarm, leading to G-MW distribution staff inspecting the site. The staff found the water, which was unauthorised and unmetered, was being diverted to two neighbouring paddocks.
The man was fined $2500.
Outside court, G-MW water delivery services general manager Warren Blyth said water theft was a serious offence.
“G-MW has a zero-tolerance approach to water theft, which provides equity of access to limited water resources and protects those who are doing the right thing,” he said.
“It is important to plan ahead and have month to month and seasonal plans for your water needs and make sure you keep a positive balance in your water allocation account.”
Guilty plea to aggravated cruelty
A northern Victorian farmer has pleaded guilty to three charges of aggravated cruelty and one charge of breaching an adjourned undertaking imposed in 2021, and was found guilty of transporting livestock not able to walk on its own.
Recently at Kerang Magistrates’ Court, the man received a Community Corrections Order with conviction for 12 months with a condition he perform 100 hours of community service, as well as an aggregate fine of $2000.
He was also re-sentenced for the 2021 offences, which involved aggravated cruelty and failing to provide proper and sufficient drink, for which he originally received an adjourned undertaking with a condition to pay $5000.
The court took into account that the man had paid the $5000, and he was re-sentenced to a fine of $500 with conviction. Costs were also awarded in the sum of $5288.33.
A control order was imposed for two years with conditions to provide proper and sufficient food, drink and water, to provide veterinary or other appropriate attention or treatment and monitoring.
Agriculture Victoria animal health and welfare compliance manager Daniel Bode said authorised inspectors attended a property north of Kerang in March 2022 after receiving a complaint.
“A large, circular, concrete water trough partially buried in the ground contained seven deceased sheep plus one which was alive. All had exceptionally low body condition,” Mr Bode said. “The trough was the only water source for the sheep.”