Snake catcher gets five years in jail

Five years imprisonment for man guilty of bow and arrow attack

TOOWOOMBA snake catcher David Gregory Wiedman was yesterday sentenced to a five-year jail term after a jury last week found him guilty of shooting a bow and arrow into the face of another man.

The city’s District Court last week heard reptile handler Wiedman loosed a hunting arrow through a screen door at the man causing a six centimetre laceration to his chin and leaving a bone exposed.

The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for three hours before reaching a verdict last week.

Yesterday, Judge Craig Chowdhury ordered Wiedman serve a term of imprisonment of five years with no parole.

TOOWOOMBA snake catcher David Gregory Wiedman was yesterday sentenced to five years in jail after shooting a man in the face with a bow and arrow last year.

Wiedman was last week found guilty in the city’s District Court by a jury of seven women and five men after a three-day trial.

His defence counsel of Joe McConnell and barrister David Jones relied on convincing a jury that the arrow, shot from behind a screen door at a man who had moments before punched Wiedman, ricocheted off a pole before striking Cameron Boyd in the chin and leaving a bone exposed.

Wiedman’s lawyers also argued during his trial last week threats to “burn the place down” and “kill everyone inside” entitled the father-of-two to protect his property and its occupants.

The house was filled with snakes and a salt water crocodile.

The Crown, however, submitted there were no threats to kill or burn Wiedman’s home.

Shortly after the verdict, Mr Jones told the court Wiedman would have 30 to 40 references tendered during his sentencing.

Judge Craig Chowdhury yesterday sentenced Wiedman to five years jail with no parole.