28 Apr 2020

Hunter charged with breaching lockdown rules

8:44 am on 28 April 2020

A Canterbury man has been charged with illegal hunting and breaching the lockdown after travelling more than 200km to hunt on Department of Conservation land.

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Photo: 123rf

Police said the man drove about 230km on a round trip from North Canterbury to DOC land near Lewis Pass for a four-day hunt from Monday to Thursday last week.

The 33 year old was charged with obstructing a medical officer of health and unlawful hunting and will appear in court in June.

"Police are and will continue to take breaches seriously," Canterbury Rural Area Commander Inspector Peter Cooper said.

"Police will have the discretion to take the appropriate action against anyone flouting alert level 3 restrictions."

Under alert level 3, hunting is allowed on private land within people's region, but not on public conservation land.

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