Constable faces naming

By PAULA OLIVER

Flanked by a close team of uniformed police, the constable who last year shot and killed Waitara man Steven Wallace walked to court yesterday to face the country's first private murder prosecution against a police officer.

Security was tight when the officer, known as "Constable A", appeared in the New Plymouth District Court for the first day of the case.

The dock was surrounded by a protective shield and members of the public were screened by a metal detector before entering the courtroom.

Constable A shot Mr Wallace in April last year after the 23-year-old went on a late-night window-smashing spree in the Taranaki township.

A police investigation found that the officer had acted lawfully, but the Wallace family mortgaged their home to pursue the private case.

The public gallery was packed yesterday, but the Wallace family were not present.

The policeman's lawyer, Susan Hughes, sought continued name suppression for him in the interests of his security. She said his family had received threats and feared there would be more if his identity were revealed.

Constable A has been relocated outside Taranaki and is being supported with full pay and cover for his legal costs.

The Wallace family's lawyer, John Rowan, QC, opposed the name-suppression application, describing it as "futile".

He said Constable A's name had already been published by one media outlet and was being carried on a website.

"This shooting was a public act, by a public officer, in a public place," Mr Rowan said.

Judge Christopher Harding declined name suppression but granted an interim order so an appeal against his decision could be heard in the High Court at Auckland this morning.

He ruled that Constable A hand over his passport and that the media not reveal any details of where he now lives - including which island of New Zealand he resides on.

Minutes later, Constable A again crossed the street flanked by a team of officers. One woman shouted to him, "Get your hat off".

The strong show of police solidarity continued when Deputy Commissioner Steve Long held a press conference and said he supported the constable.

"These are tragic events, tragic for the Wallace family and tragic for Constable A and his family," he said. "There are very wide implications. This is quite a novel issue with regards to the police. So we are concerned, with regards to our constable and with regards to this whole process."

Police Association president Greg O'Connor described the officer as a remarkable man and said he felt "humbled" representing him.

"A lesser man would have buckled under the strain that he has been put under."

Mr O'Connor said most police officers in the country did not know who the constable was, did not know where he was living and did not want to know.

Constable A's name suppression expires at noon.

He has been remanded until November 8.