2 Aug 2012

Ewen Macdonald killed calves, burned down whare

3:47 pm on 2 August 2012

Details of three more criminal charges against Ewen Macdonald can now be revealed, following the lapsing of suppression orders.

Macdonald, 32, was last month acquitted at the High Court in Wellington of murdering his brother-in-law, Scott Guy, over a family farm dispute.

He has admitted six other charges, three of which - involving deer poaching, arson and vandalism - the jury was told about during the murder trial.

Suppression orders on the other three charges admitted by Macdonald have been lifted.

They reveal that he killed 19 calves on a neighbouring farm by striking them in the head.

He also deliberately spilled 16,000 litres of milk from a vat on a nearby property and burned down a 110-year-old whare, used as a duckshooter's hut, which belonged to the same farmer.

The charges were suppressed out of concern they would unfairly influence the murder trial jury.

Macdonald will be sentenced on 14 September.