Guard injured in attempted escape

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A security guard was injured in Gisborne District Court this week while preventing an unruly defendant escaping from a courtroom.

Warwick Ashley Green, 35, jumped over the dock in courtroom two when he realised a presiding JP was about to refuse him bail.

As Green headed towards the courtroom's public exit, he was blocked by a security guard but tried to get past regardless.

The pair scuffled and the guard suffered a cut to his head when he hit it on the courtroom door. The wound bled profusely.

Green was disruptive to court proceedings even before making his break for freedom. Ahead of his appearance, he could be heard downstairs in the court holding cells thrashing against metal bars.

He was in custody after being arrested on Tuesday.

He was allegedly the driver of a Toyota Hilux Surf vehicle chased by police in the early hours that morning from a city service station to a rural road near Whangara.

Green allegedly rammed a police dog vehicle, causing it significant damaged. He fled the scene but was found later and arrested.

Green was subsequently charged with three counts of assault using the vehicle as a weapon, escaping police custody, reckless use of a vehicle (on Wainui Road), failing to stop for police, driving while forbidden, and dishonestly taking and using a vehicle — a tractor.

After his antics in the courtroom, Green was taken back into custody and remained there by consent. He has not entered pleas to the charges.

The case will be called again at a registrar's list on March 23.

No charges have been laid at this stage in relation to the courtroom incident.