Community service for spitting blood on police

Noel Rogers was back in court yesterday after his release on Friday, but he could not mask his exit through the back door. Picture / Brett Phibbs

The after-party to celebrate Noel Rogers' acquittal of Katherine Sheffield's murder has cost him 75 hours of community work.

Just 12 hours after he walked free from the High Court at Auckland on Friday, Rogers was drunk, abusing family members, smashing a window and spitting mouthfuls of blood in police officers' faces.

In the Auckland District Court yesterday, he pleaded guilty to three charges of assaulting police, resisting arrest and behaving in an offensive manner.

He was sentenced to 75 hours' community work by Judge Josephine Bouchier and was bundled out of court by friends, covering himself with a T-shirt and hat.

Rogers had been celebrating at a Bryant Pl house in St Heliers, drinking with his sister, Sharon, and her partner, Robb. The Herald understands Robb and Rogers have a history of disagreements and after an argument, Rogers was locked outside.

He smashed his way back into the house through a window, tearing his bottom lip.

Neighbours called police, who arrived at 6.50am and were confronted with Rogers spitting blood at them.

When they got him to Auckland Hospital to stitch up his lip, Rogers repeatedly swore at them.

Rogers' lawyer, John Edgar, said his client spat blood when he spoke because his lip had been badly torn.

He was on medication and had not taken his anti-depressant for nearly three days, said Mr Edgar.

Rogers was the second man to be charged with the 1994 murder of Mangonui woman Ms Sheffield. His uncle, Lawrence Lloyd, was sentenced to 11 years in prison and served seven for her manslaughter before the Court of Appeal overturned his conviction last year because police believed it was Rogers who killed her.

Mr Edgar asked the court to show mercy to Rogers, who had spent 22 months remanded in custody charged with a murder he did not commit.

Judge Bouchier said Rogers' family were concerned about the assault.

Now Rogers is battling TVNZ to stop its Sunday programme airing a video of him confessing to killing Ms Sheffield.

The jury who acquitted him never got to see the tape.

It was barred from being shown at his trial as the Court of Appeal ruled that police had breached Rogers' rights to silence and to a lawyer in making the film.

It was leaked to TVNZ by an officer working on the investigation, Inspector Jim Taare.

Police spokesman Jon Neilson told the Herald Mr Taare was providing a report to the Police Commissioner's Office on how TVNZ got the tape.

A friend of Rogers, known only as Greg, said Rogers would return to Northland but knew there would always be people in the community talking behind his back calling him a murderer or rapist.

Rogers was nearing the end of a sentence for rape when his name was connected in 2001 to the killing of Ms Sheffield and police relaunched an investigation.

He also has four previous convictions for assault and one of obstructing police.

Greg said Rogers' appearance in court yesterday just added to an ongoing saga.

"It keeps bringing it up for him. It won't go away."

Rogers did not want to go out in public, even to go shopping, because of the "Chinese whispers", Greg said.

He described Rogers as a "docile" man who was "brassed off" at the whole ordeal.

"He's just hanging out to see his partner and his kids. He just wants to spend some time with his family and re-adjust."