Northland courts: Alleged Puketona Rd police shooter named

Three men have been charged in relation to an incident on October 27 in which a police officer was shot at while in her car on Puketona Rd near Paihia. Photo / supplied

The first of three men to appear in a Northland court accused of shooting at a police officer in the Bay of Islands can now be named.

Alexander Robert Coe, 38, faced seven charges including kidnapping and using a firearm against a police officer when he appeared in the Kaikohe District Court on January 7.

All charges stemmed from a series of serious incidents in Waipapa, on Puketona Rd near Paihia, and Puketōtara Rd west of Kerikeri on October 26-27 last year.

Police say an officer was driving on Puketona Rd about 4.10am on October 27 when a car stopped in the middle of the road in front of her.

Two armed men got out of the car with one allegedly firing a shotgun directly at the officer. The windscreen was peppered with shot but did not shatter.

The officer retreated and called for backup. She was shaken but not injured.

Earlier that night police said a man had been kidnapped on State Highway 10 at Waipapa and suffered a "terrifying ordeal" before he managed to escape. His car was later found on fire on Puketōtara Rd.

Judge Duncan Harvey refused to grant Coe name suppression but that was appealed by his lawyer, which meant his name could not be immediately published.

His lawyer said Coe wanted to inform family members in Northland before they read about it in the media. He was also concerned about the effects publicity would have on his fair trial rights.

Coe's interim name suppression has now lapsed.

Two other men face the same charges but they have yet to appear in a Northland court.

The charges are kidnapping, using a firearm against police, aggravated robbery using a firearm, participating in an organised criminal group, unlawful possession of a firearm and two counts of arson — one for a Nissan Skyline belonging to the alleged kidnapping victim and one for a Toyota Corolla owned by a car rental company.

Coe, who court records say lives in Papakura and is a blocklayer by profession, was remanded in custody and is due back in court on February 2.

He also faces unrelated drug and firearms charges.

One of his two alleged co-offenders is due in court in Kaikohe on January 26, the other on February 2. All are expected to appear by audio-visual link.