Violent end to lamb dispute

Farm manager hits woman with car

A FARM manager has been found guilty of assault by hitting a woman with his car before fleeing the scene.

Closing submissions in the case against Brendan John Jordan were made yesterday at Launceston Magistrates Court.

It was the prosecution case that Jordan, 45, intentionally or recklessly assaulted Sharon McClay, 51, on the side of the Tasman Highway by hitting her with his four-wheel-drive and sending her flying into a ditch with a broken leg.

Magistrate Sharon Cure said she was not convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the act was deliberate, but found Jordan guilty by recklessness as he would have foreseen that he could have hit Mrs McClay when he drove towards her along the verge of the road.

Magistrate Cure said Mrs McClay had been driving home from St Helens and pulled over at Falmouth when she saw a group of crows in a bare paddock, which she thought was unusual.

After she realised the crows were on a lamb, she tried for half an hour to shoo the crows away before entering the paddock to save it from having its eyes pecked out.

Jordan, the farm’s manager, arrived at the paddock and confronted Mrs McClay, saying she could cause mismothering and snatching the lamb out of her arms.

Magistrate Cure said Mrs McClay called Jordan a “cruel effing bastard” and he threatened her saying she was lucky to leave with her teeth.

She said Jordan took the lamb and drove away before returning to write down Mrs McClay’s registration number.

Mrs McClay was standing on the verge of the road trying to see her phone screen to take a photograph of Jordan’s registration plate when he hit her with the car.

Magistrate Cure said the most likely explanation was that Jordan expected Mrs McClay to move out of the way as he pulled onto the road, but she was looking at her phone screen.

She said he had “ample room” to pull out before hitting Mrs McClay, but did not.

Magistrate Cure convicted and fined Jordan $2000, disqualified him from driving for six months and made a restraint order.

Mrs McClay previously pleaded guilty to trespassing.