Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Alleged Northland police shooter appears in court

By Peter de Graaf
Reporter·Northern Advocate·
7 Jan, 2021 12:12 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The shot was fired directly at the police officer, who was saved only by the car's windscreen. Photo / supplied

The shot was fired directly at the police officer, who was saved only by the car's windscreen. Photo / supplied

One of three men accused of shooting at a police officer on Puketona Rd has appeared in a Northland court for the first time — but it will be at least a week before the public can find out who he is.

The 38-year-old from Papakura appeared in the Kaikohe District Court on Thursday charged with a raft of serious offences including kidnapping and using a firearm against a police officer.

Judge Duncan Harvey refused to grant the man name suppression but that was appealed by his lawyer, which means he can't be named for now.

All seven charges relate to incidents that unfolded in Waipapa, on Puketona Rd near Paihia, and Puketōtara Rd west of Kerikeri on October 26-27 last year. At the time police said an officer was driving on Puketona Rd about 4.10am on October 27 when a car stopped in the middle of the road in front of her.

Two men got out of the car, both brandishing firearms, with one firing a shotgun directly at the officer. The windscreen was peppered with shot but did not shatter.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The officer retreated and called for backup. She was shaken but not injured.

Earlier the same night police said a man had been kidnapped on State Highway 10 at Waipapa and suffered a ''terrifying ordeal'' before he managed to escape. His car was later found on fire on Puketōtara Rd.

Senior Constable Jeff Cramp of Mid North police surveys the shooting scene on Puketona Rd. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Senior Constable Jeff Cramp of Mid North police surveys the shooting scene on Puketona Rd. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Three men were arrested just before Christmas but Thursday was the first time any of them had appeared in a Northland court.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The 38-year-old was also charged with aggravated robbery using a firearm, participating in an organised criminal group, unlawful possession of a firearm and two counts of arson, one for a Nissan Skyline belonging to the alleged kidnapping victim and one for a Toyota Corolla owned by a car rental company.

He also faces unrelated drug and firearms charges.

The shot was fired directly at the police officer, who was saved only by the car's windscreen. Photo / supplied
The shot was fired directly at the police officer, who was saved only by the car's windscreen. Photo / supplied

The man appeared via audio-visual link from prison with defence lawyer Jo Wickliffe requesting that he be further remanded without plea for two weeks.

She also sought name suppression for her client, who she said had connections in Northland and wanted to inform those people before his name was published.

Discover more

Alleged co-offender granted bail

18 Nov 04:00 PM
New Zealand

Police in 'heightened state of awareness' following latest Far North shooting

08 Nov 04:00 PM
Crime

Continued name suppression declined by court

14 Dec 04:00 PM
New Zealand

Man accused of shooting at police named, pleads not guilty

13 Dec 11:18 PM

He was also concerned about his fair trial rights if his name were to be made public.

Judge Harvey, however, refused.

The defendant was facing a ''substantial number of very serious charges'' and the threshold for name suppression was high.

The reasons given for suppression came nowhere near that threshold, he said.

However, Wickliffe immediately appealed the decision, which means the man cannot be named until 5pm on January 14 at the earliest.

Puketona Rd was closed for several hours while police investigated the shooting. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Puketona Rd was closed for several hours while police investigated the shooting. Photo / Peter de Graaf

He is due back in court on February 2. No application for bail was made.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Two other men, aged 44 and 26, face exactly the same charges and had been due to appear in the Kaikohe District Court on Thursday.

Their appearances were, however, adjourned until a later date.

The 44-year-old has already appeared in court in Hamilton and the 26-year-old in Tokoroa.

Police earlier said all three were members of the Rebels gang.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales

Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi

Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales
Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales

More than 170 customers south of Cape Rēinga are still without power.

17 Jul 08:26 AM
'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi
Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi

17 Jul 06:02 AM
Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime
Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime

17 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP