Reginald Ozanne
Published on stuff.co.nz June 5 2020
GRAPHIC WARNING: The man who stabbed a miniature horse 41 times in Otago has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.
Reginald Ozanne, 50, appeared for sentencing before Judge Michael Crosbie in the Dunedin District Court on Friday.
As well as the jail sentence, Judge Crosbie also forbade Ozanne from owning animals for 10 years.
In March, Ozanne pleaded guilty to wilfully ill-treating an animal, a charge with a maximum penalty of five years’ jail, or a maximum fine of $100,000.
Owner of Star, Mandy Mayhem-Bullock, read her victim impact statement, detailing the impact of this ‘’ugly dark act’’ had on her family, and the wider community.
She revealed that Ozanne came to her house after the attack and insisted that it wasn’t him who killed the beloved miniature horse.
Outside court, she said she wondered if she could see the blood under his fingernails and questioned why he was visiting them.
It was alarming to think she could see his house from their own property.
”It is just too bizarre, all of it.”
Mayhem-Bullock told the court that Ozanne played the victim, even calling a public meeting over the incident.
Her family was bombarded by the media, at a time when they were grieving, including the vivid reminder of a trail of Star’s blood remaining on the road, which couldn’t be washed away.
The impact on her family included her 3-year-old saying ‘’my little pony has died’’, while her son slept with a baseball bat by his bed.
Waitati residents believed it was a ‘’safe haven’’, but many had since installed security lights, bought dogs, or even moved away, since the incident.
This was not the sleepy seaside settlement they knew, Mayhem-Bullock said.
Ozanne’s counsel, Deborah Henderson, said he was ‘’horrified and ashamed’’ and had written an apology letter
That letter said he took full responsibility for his ‘’regrettable actions’’.
He expressed his remorse and would always be sorry. He could not recall the incident, after consuming half a bottle of home-brewed whiskey and some drugs.
Ozanne said he would pray for them, and wanted them to heal over the matter.
Henderson said drugs and alcohol coupled with his mental health played a part in his offending, and he was prepared to change his ways.
Judge Crosbie acknowledged the victims and their community, and the extent in which the crime impacted on them.
Star, a beloved miniature horse in the community, was stabbed 41 times, including lacerations to his back, neck, throat
At some point his tether broke and he was located by a local man, and taken to a vet.
Ozanne initially denied the involvement.
Crosbie said the offence was ‘’cruel if not barbaric’’ based on the number of wounds inflicted on this harmless family pet.
It was important that his sentence serve as a deterrent to others.
Ozanne had previous dishonesty and violence convictions, and his behaviour afterwards was “reprehensible”.
That included front-footing the accusations via the media, and deflecting the blame onto others.
Crosbie noted that prior to the killing he had abstained from substances, and was working.
He attributed his offending the year before – breaking into a local garden centre and two cars in 2018 – to a head injury and “bleeding on the brain”.
He claimed whoever killed Star was “insane” and said he “can’t understand why they would do that with any animals”.
Outside court, Mayhem-Bullock said she was disappointed by the sentence, asking what it would take to get the maximum penalty.
”We have to drive past that stop every day.”
Detective Sergeant Chris Henderson said it was a difficult police operation, ”it took a long time to get to the finale”.
Published on nzherald.co.nz 27 July 2021
A man who killed a miniature horse, stabbing it 41 times, will be released from prison four months early.
Reginald Robert Ozanne, 51, was jailed for two-and-a-half years midway through last year after admitting the crime, which sent shockwaves through the Waitati community 20km north of Dunedin.
At sentencing, the man accepted the evidence pointed undeniably to him but maintained he had no memory of killing Star, a beloved family pet.
Ozanne will be paroled next week to a Dunedin address on a range of conditions including a ban from physical contact with any animals.
The first that Star’s owner, Mandy Mayhem-Bullock, knew of his release was when contacted by the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
“I just don’t want to ever see him or run into him again,” she said.
“That’s going to be a massive trigger. I don’t know what I’d do. I could barely look at him in the courtroom.”
Ozanne’s behaviour had improved while behind bars, panel convener Kathryn Snook said.
He had done a generic rehabilitation course and was in the after-care phase of a drug treatment programme.
“He talked with some insight today about his long-standing issue with drugs … He said he has learnt now that he should not be afraid to ask for help when he needs it,” Snook said.
Ozanne had also been unafraid to take aim at the media during his stay at the Otago Corrections Facility.
A letter he sent to the ODT during his incarceration purported to be written on behalf of Star’s owners.
“I think of you as parasites feeding on the grief of the victims,” he wrote.
Ozanne was a low-security inmate and the board heard he had a medium-term goal of studying design at a polytechnic.
“This was serious offending which had a significant and ongoing impact on the victims of Mr Ozanne’s crime.
“However, Mr Ozanne has completed two programmes directed at reducing his risk of reoffending and has support and accommodation back in the community. The key for him is that he avoids returning to drug use.
“He has new strategies to ensure that this does not happen,” said Snook.
His parole conditions include:
• To live at an approved address in Dunedin.
• To comply with the rules of the tenancy provider.
• To abide by a 10pm-6.30am curfew for three months.
• Not to possess alcohol or non-prescription drugs.
• To attend any programmes as directed by Probation.
• Not to have physical contact with any animal unless pre-approved by Probation.
• Not to enter Waitati.
Published on odt.co.nz 29 April 2022
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/horse-killer-charged-again-after-prison-release
A man who stabbed a horse to death has been charged again within months of his release from prison.
Reginald Robert Ozanne (52) was jailed for two and a-half years over the harrowing death of mini-horse Star in Waititi in February 2019.
The tight-knit coastal community was horrified when the pet was found with 41 stab wounds and the animal eventually succumbed to the injuries.
While Ozanne took responsibility for the attack, he said he had no recall of the incident and never divulged a motive.
He was released from prison in August last year on a range of conditions, running for six months, one of which prohibited him from physical contact with animals unless approved by Probation.
Corrections southern region operations director Chris O’Brien-Smith confirmed Ozanne had yesterday been charged with breaching that condition.
The Otago Daily Times understands the animal allegedly involved was a dog.
“We actively manage the compliance of all offenders with the conditions imposed on them by the courts and the New Zealand Parole Board, and hold them to account if they breach,” Mr O’Brien-Smith said.
“Potential penalties can include breach action, increased reporting to Community Corrections or formal prosecution potentially resulting in imprisonment.”
Among Ozanne’s other prison-release conditions were a bar from alcohol and non-prescription drugs and a restriction from entering Waitati.
At sentencing Judge Michael Crosbie also imposed a ban on Ozanne from owning pets for 10 years – the maximum period under the legislation.