Murupara police station break‑in accused sacks lawyer in court

Mark Howard Christiansen appears in the Rotorua District Court via audio visual link, facing charges over an incident at the Murupara Police Station. Photo / Kelly Makiha

A man accused of breaking into the Murupara Police Station using an axe sacked his lawyer in court, but then admitted he did not understand what was happening next.

Mark Howard Chrstiansen, 55, a Galatea retailer, appeared in the Rotorua District Court today charged with burglary with a weapon, intentional damage and threatening grievous bodily harm.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Charging documents said Christiansen was accused of entering the Pine Drive police station on March 26 without authority and with intent to commit an imprisonable offence in that building.

He is accused of using an axe as a weapon, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

Christiansen is alleged to have intentionally damaged doors in the building, and to have threatened to do grievous bodily harm to a man in Thames.

The defendant appeared surprised when lawyer Andy Schulze stood in court to speak for him.

The front door of the Murupara Police Station after it was smashed in March. Photo / Ben Fraser

Christiansen interrupted Schulze and said, “I’ve tried to fire you twice and you keep turning up in court.”

Schulze said he was not aware of this.

Judge Anna Skellern jumped to Schulze’s defence.

“Mr Schulze did not know he had been fired because he’s not in the habit of turning up when he doesn’t need to.”

Schulze was granted leave to withdraw as Christiansen’s lawyer.

The case proceeded with Christiansen saying he would represent himself.

Crown prosecutor Anna McConachy told Judge Skellern about several legal points relating to an upcoming hearing in the case.

Judge Skellern asked Christiansen if he understood what McConachy had said.

Christiansen replied: “No, not at all”.

“Oh right, see that’s going to be the problem for you”, Judge Skellern told him.

She remanded Christiansen in custody to reappear in court on December 5.

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.