CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
The greater Queensland Channel Country has come together today in support and praise of a local identity who despite old age, continues to service his community.
At 71, Mr Jack Pearson, a fourth-generation cattle grazier and founder of E.H. Pearson Pastoral Company, currently sits at number 45 899 on the BRW Rich List, with an estimated worth of more than $234 000.
However, despite Pearson’s family’s absurd wealth and seemingly endless fence lines – he has made it very clear that he continues to do what he can, when he can, to help the people of the Diamantina Shire.
Yesterday evening, Mr Pearson was out roo-shooting with one of “retirement toys” – a 2003 Landcruiser fitted with spotlights and a 12.7mm M2 Browning machine gun – when he came across a group of six “cattle rustlers” who appeared to be making a move on a mob of his three-year old steers.
The thieves didn’t get very far. The “retirement toy” made sure of that.
“I had heard there’d been a bit of nonsense going at some of the surrounding properties” said Mr Pearson
“I decided to use the Browning to make a point. These blokes were a fair way in front of me and I’m not as young as I used to be,”
“Once upon a time I would have tied them up and waited ’till the coppers showed up. Unlucky for them I had one of the most powerful firearms in Queensland sitting on my roof”
In 2003, Pearson purchased the top-of-the-range Toyota Landcruiser for a cool $AUD 15 000, which at the time made it the region’s most expensive car. Combine that with a high-end machine gun and you’ve got what Pearson describes as “quite a rig” – one that takes a crew of 3 ringers to wash and carries an estimated annual upkeep cost of $1500, plus insurance, registration and ammunition.
As a victim of cattle thieves in the past, Mr Pearson admits he decided to buy the machine gun on the black-market several years after the 1997 Howard Gun Buyback, when he noticed some of his prize bulls were starting to go missing.
“I’m just glad I finally got to use it on these ratbags. It’s been making a mess of ‘roos and wild pigs for years – but I originally bought it for this exact scenario”
“Do you have any idea what a .50 cal projectile does to a human? It’s a bullet that was designed to immobilise cars and tanks,” says Mr Pearson.
“They turn people inside out. Police weren’t even able to identify them. They just pushed their corpses up in a heap with a D6 and burnt them.”
Despite the obvious violations of Australian gun laws, as well as the fatalities caused by Mr. Pearson, he appears to have the full support of both neighbours and gun enthusiasts Australia-wide.
Betoota Mayor, Councillor Keith Carton, has said that the local council are working as hard as they can to see that Mr. Pearson is provided with amnesty in the eyes of the law.
“I am very keen to see this old man pardoned. I worked for him as a young lad and can vouch that he doesn’t have a malicious bone in his body,”
“Personally I would have opted to run the pricks down so the cops could at least identify them – But either way, he’s done this community a massive favour”
Mr Carton stated that in times of drought, it is commonly acknowledged that local landowners will take it upon themselves to stop cattle thieves by any means necessary.
“The city folk might not like what it is that we do… but if it wasn’t for people like Jack, we’d have a lot of families going hungry at the hands of thieves.
Good job done & a public spirited act. Hope you get a pardon ,the whole state is
in your debt & I guess very great full.Defending what is your property & lively hood.The world needs more people like you digger .
Chris B
You are pathetic. Absolutely unmerciful, callous, cold hearted riffraff. What if it was your brother/mother/sister/father that had stolen, in a time of poverty when they were say struggling to feed their family, and was brutally shot dead? Would you be saying this? No. The thieves are despicable yes and should certainly be punished harshly, but not by cold blooded MURDER. They dont deserve DEATH. They have a father/mother/family too, just like you do. And a lot of them have come from abusive backgrounds, mixed with the wrong crowds, etc – they need help, not murder.
It amazes me that people like you exist. People without an ounce of compassion or mercy in their bones. You sir, absolutely sicken me. This story sickens me. And I am not sickened easily.
“in a time of poverty when they were say struggling to feed their family”
That may have been a likely scenario 50 years or more ago but in this day and age that’s a load of crap. I do not like guns at all but I’m hardly going to call someone callous for defending their property.
What if after stealing they continued on with some other nefarious purpose? They should never have been there in the first place. I’m not defending what this gentleman did but I’ll be damned if I’m going to cry bleeding hearts and go “oh but the poor thieves!!!”
Go spend your bleeding heart on people that genuinely deserve your pity.
fuuuuuck you people, he is a murderer, they might have stolen some cattle but he stole their lives, that’s not something you can just return!!
Its because of people like you this shit happens. No penalties, no regrets. Set the bar and people back off
so just say he had of gone to stop the thieves and ended up being shot by them instead (as most would carry guns) what would you be saying then?
I totally agree with you
Couldnt find the words to write but you said what i was thinking and as for the police putting tgem in a heap and burning the bodies
The poor familys are thinking these people are missing and will never have closure
I am crying for the family and i hope this man gets penalised for this
Great inhsgit. Relieved I’m on the same side as you.
Yeah, praise a rich old bastard with a machine gun, but lock up anyone else to tries to defend and protect their property.
Australia’s legal system is full of hypocrisy and was written by bloody hypocrites.
Well done Mr. Pearson, Theft is theft and too many get away with it. I think you should demonstrate your “Rig” to the AFP and State Police around Australia and show them exactly how thieves, bandits and God forbid Terrorists etc should be dealt with. One thing for sure, they won’t be back.
God Bless you
You are pathetic. Absolutely unmerciful, callous, cold hearted riffraff. What if it was your brother/mother/sister/father that had stolen, in a time of poverty when they were say struggling to feed their family, and was brutally shot dead? Would you be saying this? No. The thieves are despicable yes and should certainly be punished harshly, but not by cold blooded MURDER. They dont deserve DEATH. They have a father/mother/family too, just like you do. And a lot of them have come from abusive backgrounds, mixed with the wrong crowds, etc – they need help, not murder.
It amazes me that people like you exist. People without an ounce of compassion or mercy in their bones. You sir, absolutely sicken me. This story sickens me. And I am not sickened easily.
That is exactly how I feel…how can people condone what this guy does…and he talks about it like it is just a living….I am really astonished how he isn’t behind bars…then I suppose money talks….
Who dose he vote for? Katter I hope!
Is this a joke? I’d understand if he was doing what he needed to too survive, however the fact he is very wealthy obviously shows that is not the case.
This is stone cold murder. This has to be a joke right?
I totally agree with you. This is absolutely disgusting!!!!! This is MURDER and the guy should go to jail. Theft is not to be repayed with murder. If he couldnt have stopped them using non-lethal means, then it was not in his right to KILL them in cold blood. What an evil evil man.
So, let me get this straight an elderly (rich, insert surprise) gunmen murders 3 people and not only is the govt looking at pardoning him but he has the support of the community!?
I’m sure the mother / father / children of the people you’ve maimed will appreciate the justice you’ve wrought while they grieve their loss and rest easy in the solace that you weren’t made a victim.
with a kangaroo hunt going on you can’t expect people to believe there wasn’t a smaller fire arm that could have been used that would have been non lethal
what a joke
I totally agree with you. This is absolutely disgusting!!!!! This is MURDER and the guy should go to jail. Theft is not to be repayed with murder. If he couldnt have stopped them using non-lethal means, then it was not in his right to KILL them in cold blood. What an evil evil man.
Serves them right. Only protecting what is his.
Has my total support. Perhaps the ones that breed the thieving riffraff should be the ones punished.
I think that he has set an example that should be followed Australia wide. Not just for thieves but for terrorists as well…
Serves them right. Only protecting what is his.
Has my total support. Perhaps the ones that breed the thieving riffraff should be the ones punished.
I think that he has set an example that should be followed Australia wide. Not just for thieves but for terrorists as well. Totally agree with Finlay Officer.
You are pathetic. Absolutely unmerciful, callous, cold hearted riffraff. What if it was your brother/mother/sister/father that had stolen, in a time of poverty when they were say struggling to feed their family, and was brutally shot dead? Would you be saying this? No. The thieves are despicable yes and should certainly be punished harshly, but not by cold blooded MURDER. They dont deserve DEATH. They have a father/mother/family too, just like you do. And a lot of them have come from abusive backgrounds, mixed with the wrong crowds, etc – they need help, not murder.
It amazes me that people like you exist. People without an ounce of compassion or mercy in their bones. You sir, absolutely sicken me. This story sickens me. And I am not sickened easily.
You can leave now Lyn.
What are you a wannabe psychologist or just a plain psycho?
This man, Pearson, is absolutely unmerciful and cold hearted. What if it was your brother/mother/sister/father that had stolen, in a time of poverty when they were say struggling to feed their family, and was brutally shot dead? The thieves are despicable yes and should certainly be punished harshly, but not by murder. They dont deserve death. They have a father/mother/family too, just like you do. And a lot of them have come from abusive backgrounds, mixed with the wrong crowds, etc – they need help, not murder.
This story really sickens me in the stomach. This is horrible.
This makes me sick , what if those thiefs were only trying to feed them selfs because they a poor and can’t buy food . those people have family’s just like every1 and use think it is right to end there lives . This man should b locked up for a long time , no1 has the right to shot and kill 3 people and get away with it . wat is the world coming to, I can’t believe people are supporting this animal , what if that was you brother, cuzin or best friend you would want justice , this is a joke .
Hayden, I totally agree with you. This is absolutely disgusting!!!!! This is MURDER and the guy should go to jail. Theft is not to be repayed with murder. If he couldnt have stopped them using non-lethal means, then it was not in his right to KILL them in cold blood. What an evil evil man.
Dear Lyn, you sound like a cracked record.
Do you know the full story?
What could have happened to the old guy if he had approached the thieves?
Do we know the thieves were broke and unable to feed thier families?
Maybe there parents should of taught them the difference between right and wrong and they wouldn’t of come to such an end got a right to protect what’s his. This is a lesson to those that maybe thinking about carrying out such an act in the future
Are you guys all serious? You honestly believe this??? I’ve heard more believable stories from a known pathological liar down at my local pub.
Was the mention of a D8 bulldozer to push the bodies up not a give away? The fact that he has a machine gun mounted on his roof in QLD? You guys must all be from the city where you think eggs come from a factory in china, or from America where you think Australians ride kangaroos to work. I enjoyed the story but, I got a laugh out of it, and hell I might even repeat it at the pub just after our other lying mate tells a story.
Ok, your all a lot of thick skulled idiots if you believe this bullshit. its not that hard to google the story, which isnt anywhere. and a browning m2 would be the hardest thing to import due to the size and how easy it is to recognise the parts. Yall need Jesus
I wish it were true but we don’t get news as good as this in the bush now, this is because there are far too many liberal do-gooders that sit on there blot waiting for the country folk to hand them a feed.Well let this be fair warning don’t think you can come and take it for free, as you can see there is a price, if it’s too high stay out & don’t take what’s not yours. Have a for-filling Australia Day. Good health to all
I think a few people here need to go back and read it again.
And actually take note of what they are reading Like net worth of $234,000. Dont be a dill anyway mongrels who steal cattle need to be dealt with harshly like the people who used to steal Crabs from my pots when i was commercial fishing.
This is a joke!! A funny one 🙂
Wow this is horrifying. The guy should be locked up for a triple murder. No one has the right to murder anyone like this. Thats what we have the courts for – to punish crime. If everyone took the law into their own hands our society would be a mess.
This guy needs to go to jail. This is a barbaric criminal act – pure murder.
I totally understand his need to protect his property, but perhaps he should have just shot them in the legs? No need to kill them.
They deserves everything they get keep it up old man good on ya it’ll make sure people think twice bout thieving
How does a rich livestock farmer get the support of the community for killing 3 lowly thieves with a god damned Browning 12.7mm machine gun? Surely a few bullet sprays into the wider area around them would have been enough to scare them off.
If some guy broke into an average person’s home who is struggling to make ends meet, stole the T.V and just so happened to get killed with a lousy baseball bat to the head, would the person living in the home get a pardon? Certainly not, that’s cold blooded murder. Even though that thief had probably broken into hundreds of homes within the community before.
If acts such as this become acceptable then I lose all hope for humanity. I don’t even know how a man could even sleep at night after killing 3 people so brutally. They were thieves probably just trying to survive or put some money in their empty pockets, not terrorists coming to take over your land.
That’s just my personal opinion anyway.
Well Chris if someone robbed the bank of $250000 of your hard earned money you’d be pretty pissey is imagine, and looking for some sort of harsh reckoning
Thank god there are still people out there with the guts to do the right thing.
In addition to saving the livelihood of himself and his neighbours, tax payers have three less oxygen thieves to support.
As for the bleeding hearts, please come back to us after being a victim of these worthless thugs. Contrary to Latte set logic, life is not a 1950’s Disney cartoon.
Really!!!???!!!! 1950’s Disney cartoon. This behavior is definitely 1950’s, murdering people with an illegal gun over cattle. Pull yourself together , ild rather shoot all you old cunts for just that, being righteous old cunts. Wahhhh they stole my cattle, I’m so rich, oh gosh how am I going to handle this SHUT THE FUCK UP , I HATE RICH FARMERS , WHINGE FUCKEN WHINGE
This story is a good one to get a few differing comments.
Net worth of about $250,000 COME ON!!!!!!!!!
And buying a vehicle in 2003 worth a massive 15,000…
Bob, the sad thing is these dimwitted women roam this planet with us! Rich! You think that is rich? Poor thieves, bahhh Mongrel bloody scum. Would be great if this could actually happen. Great read.
Do you vote Green Sharon?
for all the people out there that beleive this i’m selling bridges around the nation , my personal favourite is the storey bridge in brisbane qld, to make your money back all you will have to do is put a toll on it,any of you out there who are interested in aircraft i have mh370 in my back shed, come around and have a look if you like i will just have to ask harold holt to hide for the day,yeti won’t be here because he is mostly nocturnal as he will be curled up in noah’s ark and the roswell aliens have flown that to jupiter and won’t be back until 2025 for the zombie apocalypse
Damn, I was really hoping to meet Yeti…
This is what happens when a ship load of criminals are off loaded on a continent and asked to suppress the true owners of the land and rule it…. Good on you AU…
They won’t do it again haha about time someone took a stand against thieving scum like this .
well done mate. The country needs more doers not talkers they paid the price from stealing.
Good story should of had a dragon in it. And the fact you can google iraq landcruiser with gun and the image is one of the first to pop up. And linked to a Web Page in 2006. And what pushes the article to complete bullshit Police weren’t even able to identify them. They just pushed their corpses up in a heap with a D6 and burnt them.
A d6 would have been adequate me thinks:)
This man deserves a medal! Perhaps he can hang them off his fence to deter other would-be thieves :)Hats off to him!
I know Mr Pearson very well and on the day in question I had rung him to ask if i could accompany him out on the station to try out my new acquirement a brand new scud missile from the Ukraine.
He unfortunately so no due to my scud carrier was to large to fit through the front gate.
If I did have it with us on the day we also could have destroyed the rustlers vehicles and homes as well but there is always a next time. Mr Pearson has since widened his front gate.
Will dig up the wire guided rockets may have to grease the wires but I am there especially since the gate has been widened I can fir my Brams tank through 🙂
Good job old timer about time these scum bags where removed out of this country there is no need for stealing from anyone t I many junkies around these days that the government wont rid off good to see someone do the job for them hope these aint the last to be removed and hope u clear yourself mate good job
MURDERER !!! Another rich , spoilt brat who can get away with murder. Nothing more!
Good on him, here in the States cattle thieves are shot on sight without remorse. you try to take a man’s livelihood, no matter how well off that man may already be, and you pay for it with your life. If you don’t want to get shot and die don’t be a filthy pathetic disgusting subhuman criminal. And as to the family of the men who died, I’ll gladly tell them their loved one was a scumbag who got what he deserved.
OMG only just found the betootaadvocate was a jurno in a previous lifetime and love your work absolutely brilliant and more so with the comments people leave they actually have no idea its a wind up…..absolute gold 🙂
Wat a cracka good on ya old mate that will learn em ..fuk all the to gooders that say its wrong its wrong to steel .. god stated eye for a eye
Is the population of Australia REALLY as credulous as the comments suggest? If they are, I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale, cheap.
Having been a victim of crime on numerous occasions I will kill any burglars who dare to enter my property.
When I was living in the North Island I had my house burgled by mongrel Maoris and the cop who came was a Maori and he said that he wasn’t interested in taking fingerprints and so stuff the pigs.