Whangarei man convicted over assaulting police officer

It took the jury in the Whangarei District Court seven hours to reach their verdicts. Photo / File

A Whangarei man who charged with assaulting a police officer and reversing his ute into him has been convicted and discharged on two of the three charges the jury found him guilty on.

It took the jury in the Whangarei District Court seven hours to reach their verdicts on Frank Kokiri Rota after a two-day trial before Judge Duncan Harvey.

The jury retired about 1pm on Thursday and returned with a unanimous verdict just after 8pm.

They found Rota guilty on the charge of assaulting police but recommended he be shown leniency.

He was found not guilty on the charge of assault with a weapon and guilty on threatening to do grievous bodily harm.

Judge Harvey convicted and discharged him on the two charges he was found guilty on.

The jury returned to court just after 5pm to inform the judge that all except one juror had difficulty reaching verdicts.

Judge Harvey told the jury it was possible for them to reach a unanimous verdict which meant all 11 jurors have to agree.

It was also possible, he said, for them to bring a unanimous verdict on some charges and a majority verdict on others.