Amended charges in Queenstown kidnap case

File photo / NZ Herald

Amended charges will be filed against three men facing kidnapping charges to include a third complainant, Invercargill District Court was told today.

Joshua James Veint, 23, a farmhand from Glenorchy, is charged with two others with unlawfully detaining Casey Johnston and Andrew Lee in Queenstown on November 27-29.

He is also charged with wounding Joseph Armstrong with intent to cause bodily harm on November 28 at Queenstown, and possessing the Class A drug methamphetamine.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Grant Gerken told Judge Michael Turner there was a third kidnapping complainant and the charges against Veint and his co-accused, Pita William Hapourona Wilson, 38, a Glenorchy stonemason, and Mark Junior Taylor, 17, unemployed of no fixed abode, would be amended to include that person.

He did not name the other complainant.

Police opposed bail for Veint, Mr Gerken said.

Appearing for Veint, Bill Dawkins said his client was not applying for bail yet and asked for a remand in custody to next Friday.

"Pivotal to whether he should be in custody is, what is the evidence against him? I don't know and I hope to clarify that before next week."

Judge Turner remanded Veint in custody to appear again in Invercargill on December 12.