A Canterbury businessman bashed two men he believed were stealing diesel from his drilling company before tying them up, blindfolding them, and throwing them in a river, a court heard today.
Dave Clemence is standing trial at Christchurch District Court for kidnapping, assaulting and threatening to kill Matthew Pender-McLean and Karl Clark.
The Crown alleges that Clemence, owner of Kaiapoi-based family firm Clemence Drilling, had workers or other men waiting on the night of April 7, 2011 to catch thieves targeting his yard.
It says Pender-McLean and Clark were jumped by a group of up to 10 men, each referred to in the indictment as "unknown Polynesian male" and beaten before Clemence was called to the yard.
He then assaulting the men, kidnapped them, and led them down to a nearby river in a terrifying two-hour ordeal, the Crown alleges. Clemence denies all 18 charges, including two of kidnapping, nine of assault with intent to injure, assault, assault with a weapon, and threatening to kill or do grievous bodily harm.