Canterbury farm shed confrontation leads to Jesse Johnson assault conviction upheld on appeal

A man on private property seeking help with a broken down vehicle was confronted by a farmer with a gun after he returned from rabbit shooting. The man wanting help, Jesse Johnson, ended up with a criminal conviction after a scuffle took place in the farm shed. Photo / 123rf

A four-wheel-drive trip took a dramatic turn when a vehicle broke down in a riverbed and two men seeking help were met by a farmer carrying a rifle after a rabbit-shooting trip.

The confrontation on the Canterbury farm three years ago left Jesse Johnson, also known as Jesse Whitaker, with a criminal conviction he has spent the past 18 months trying to overturn.

He has long argued he acted in self-defence when confronted by the farmer carrying the rifle.