The Star: April 27, 2023

The Star Thursday April 27 2023
10
COURT
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Son threatens to
kill dad; drug bust
reveals cannabis
growing operation
PHOTO:
GETTY
• By Emily Moorhouse
A MAN who threatened to kill
his father before shooting up his
house truck and taking to it with
an axe said he was emotional at
the time.
Kyle Stephen Ord, 37, appeared
in the district court where he
was sentenced on a lengthy list of
drugs and firearms charges after
a drug bust revealed his cannabis
growing operation.
The summary of facts said a
breakdown in the relationship
between Ord and his father
began when they agreed to swap
vehicles. However, Ord decided
he should be paid a further
$2000, which his father didn’t
agree with.
Between October 2 and 10 last
year, Ord sent multiple texts to
his father saying he was going
to kill or assault him and his
father’s partner. He referred to
guns in his possession when
making these threats.
On October 3 last year, using a
shotgun, Ord fired several shots
into the outside of his father’s
Bedford house truck, which was
parked at his address.
He then damaged the interior
of the truck using an axe.
When police searched Ord’s
house they found cannabis plant
branches hanging from the ceiling
drying out as well as recently
harvested cannabis, utensils for
cutting it up, and a set of scales.
In total, including stalks, 1423
grams of dried cannabis were
found as well as 85 cannabis
seeds stored in various tins.
In Ord’s bedroom, a loaded,
modified 22 calibre Norinco
rifle and a Sako 26-06 rifle were
found in the wardrobe. Ammunition
was also found.
A search of Ord’s workshop
revealed a fake wall with a
small entrance door. Behind the
wall were two growing rooms
equipped with lights, fans, ducting,
water pumps, air filters, timers,
and transformers for power.
The walls and ceiling were
covered in white plastic sheeting
with timelines and diagrams
with dates written with a black
marker pen, outlining the plants’
harvesting dates.
There were 57 cannabis plants,
ranging in size.
A stolen 2022 Honda motorcycle
valued at $10,795 was also
found in a garage near the house.
In Ord’s vehicle, police found
two bags of methamphetamine
and 110g of cannabis stored in
resealable bags.
When questioned by police,
Ord said he used the guns for
shooting possums and for his
protection. After shooting up
his father’s house truck he broke
the shotgun up and stored it in
a box.
Ord said he shot up the house
truck because he was in a bad
head space and emotional at the
time.
He admitted being angry with
his father when he threatened
to kill him and his partner but
said he wouldn’t have followed
through with this.
Ord’s lawyer, Joshua Macleod,
said his client was thankful
for his time spent in custody
because he had been given the
opportunity to focus on himself.
Macleod said Ord had taken
full responsibility for his actions
and was an intelligent man who
had previously built businesses
before he became involved in
drugs, causing his downfall.
He said Ord accepted the end
sentence would be one of imprisonment
but despite that was
still focusing on being a better
man and keeping himself out of
trouble.
Judge Dominic Dravitzki said
Ord’s offending was very serious,
noting the fully loaded gun in
his bedroom with which he had
threatened his father and his
father’s partner.
Judge Dravitzki gave Ord
discounts for his guilty pleas, his
“difficult family background”
and the steps he’d taken to address
addiction issues while in
custody.
He sentenced Ord to two years
and five months imprisonment
and ordered the destruction of
all the drugs and firearms.
This report was produced
by Open Justice – Te Pātītī,
a Public Interest Journalism
initiative funded by NZ on Air
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