Tree poisoner walks free in Vancouver
Last Updated Thu, 05 Jan 2006 15:13:56 EST
From www.cbc.ca/news (CBC News)
A well-known Vancouver interior designer has walked out of court without penalty after admitting she poisioned at least three trees that blocked her view from a condo on English Bay.
The trees were on city land.
June Matheson, 73, admitted she bought herbicide in the United States in the spring of 2004, drilled holes and put poison in them to kill the trees. She lived at the time in a third-floor apartment on Beach Avenue next to Stanley Park.
She pleaded guilty of mischief on Thursday and received an absolute discharge, the lightest possible sentence for a criminal offence. The defendant is free to go and no conviction is registered.
The Crown sought to have her fined, saying a jail sentence was not called for in view of her age and previous good character.
Defence lawyer Ian Donaldson argued in a sentencing hearing that she had suffered enough and deserved a discharge. He said reporters and neighbours had tormented her, some even throwing garbage at her balcony.
The designer, who has worked for pop stars Sarah McLachlan and Bif Naked, has sent cheques totalling $50,000 to the Vancouver Park Board to buy new trees.
Vancouver has been the scene of repeated disputes about trees felled by people seeking nicer views or more harmonious patterns under Feng Shui, a Chinese art of positioning objects.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment