Shepparton truck driver Craig Smith threatens to kill council workers over dog seizures

A Shepparton truck driver told council staff he would shoot them after they seized his daughter’s dogs.

Craig Smith pleaded guilty at the Shepparton Magistrates' Court on Friday July 14 to two counts of threat to kill and one count of behave in an offensive manner.

A Shepparton truck driver told council customer service staff he would shoot them and threatened to punch a ranger after they seized his daughter’s two dogs.

Craig Smith, 61, pleaded guilty at the Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on Friday to two counts of threatening to kill and one count of behaving in an offensive manner.

The court heard Smith received a phone call from his distressed daughter after her two dogs were seized from their Toolamba home in March.

Prosecutor Senior Constable Luke Lund said Smith — a truck driver — drove to the Shepparton Animal Shelter and threatened two rangers.

“You’re both ***ead, I will kill you,” Smith told them.

He also threatened to punch one of the rangers but instead punched the air and then left the shelter, the court heard.

The 61-year-old then attended the Greater Shepparton City Council offices and abused customer service staff, causing them to “hide in fear”.

“How dare you take my dogs away, I will shoot you all,” Smith said to the staff, the court heard.

“I’ll be back with something and there will be blood.”

The court heard Smith was arrested on March 2 and admitted to the threats but said he “never had intentions” to follow through with his actions.

Smith threatened council staff telling them he would “shoot” them all after his daughter’s dogs were seized.

Defence lawyer Peter Randles said Smith went “over the top” as his daughter was “distraught” and the father of four was “agitated”.

He noted Smith apologised to police afterwards.

“I was scared for my daughter,” Smith told the court.

Mr Randles urged Magistrate Ian Watkins to impose a lighter sentence as Smith had been going through a tough time after his mother and wife both passed away in the same week four years ago.

Mr Watkins said he understood the truck driver was struggling.

“I perfectly understand that life hasn’t been kind to you in a couple of years,” Mr Watkins said.

However, he said, it did not justify his behaviour as council employees had the right to feel safe in their workplace and police were “just trying to do their job”.

Smith was convicted and fined $1500 and was ordered to pay $136 in court costs.