Man who fatally shot cop denies P operation

John Ward Skinner on trial in the High Court at Auckland. Photo / NZPA

The man accused of shooting dead an undercover police officer in 2008 denied in court today that he had guns and weapons at his house to protect a methamphetamine operation.

John Skinner, 38, was giving evidence in the High Court at Auckland where he and Iain Clegg, 36, have denied murdering Sergeant Don Wilkinson and attempting to murder another police officer, who has name suppression.

The Crown alleges the two officers were shot by Skinner with the airgun after they tried to plant a tracking device on his car outside his home in Mangere on September 11, 2008, because he was suspected of manufacturing methamphetamine.

Crown prosecutor Simon Moore QC asked Skinner why he had security lighting and various guns and weapons at his property.

Skinner responded that weapons were part of his collection and he was planning to put them all in a display case.

Mr Moore argued that the weapons and security were not to protect Skinner and his family, rather they were to protect a methamphetamine operation he ran from the property.

"I don't agree. I have a family and a young baby to protect," Skinner said.

Skinner's lawyer Marie Dyhrberg said her client believed the policemen on his property were intruders and he reacted in self-defence.

Skinner told the jury they looked like burglars because they were wearing dark clothing and balaclavas.

He said he ran and grabbed his airgun, as he wanted to scare them off.

"I genuinely feared for our lives and I thought our lives could be taken there and then," he said.

"I saw him (Mr Wilkinson) gesture towards his waistline as if he was reaching for a gun.

"I was freaked out. I thought we were going to be shot. It wasn't a situation we could get away from, and nobody said anything at any time," he added.

Questioned by Ms Dyhrberg, Skinner told the court he did not think the airgun could do serious damage.

"I thought they were just glorified toys."

He couldn't believe it when he heard that the men were police officers and that one of them had died.

"I was blown away. I was absolutely distraught."

Mr Moore said Skinner and Clegg were guilty of murdering Mr Wilkinson and attempting to murder his colleague as they intended to either kill them, or cause them serious harm they knew could be fatal.

Clegg's lawyer, Stuart Grieve QC, said his client did not kill Mr Wilkinson and did not try to kill his police colleague.

Mr Grieve said Clegg acted on his own when he pursued two men he thought were burglars, and did not know anything about what Skinner was going to do.

He said Clegg's only action was to hit Mr Wilkinson's colleague with his fist before Skinner came from behind him and to one side and then fired the shots.

The trial before Justice Geoffrey Venning and a jury of four women and eight men is in its third week.

- NZPA