Farmer Jailed For Shooting Dead 'Truffle Thief'

A farmer has been jailed for fatally shooting an alleged truffle thief in southeast France.

Laurent Rambaud was guarding a truffle patch on his fields in Drome when he killed Ernest Pardo as he walked his dog.

The 37-year-old told police he opened fire on Pardo because he feared for his life and suspected the victim was an armed thief.

Pardo had previous charges for theft, and was known for selling truffles at local markets, where the delicacy can fetch up to $1,000 (£653) per kg.

Gilbert Emery, prosecuting, had been sought a 12-year prison term for Rambaud over the December 2010 killing.

He claimed the farmer was "conscious of his actions" and had "an obsession of chasing away the (suspected) truffle thief, of catching him and of eliminating him".

Rambaud, who was initially charged with murder, was convicted of manslaughter - a lesser charge - and has been sentenced to eight years behind bars.

His lawyer, Alain Fort, had told the trial how the farmer had been confronted by armed thieves before.

President of the region's young farmers' association and a volunteer fireman, Rambaud had grown frustrated following a series of thefts on his land.