A New Zealand army officer was today fined $1700 for an unauthorised discharge of a weapon while on tour in Afghanistan.
Lieutenant Colonel David Pirie, 40, of the Royal New Zealand Engineers, pleaded guilty at a court martial held at Trentham Military Camp of firing a round at a practice range
on July 23 this year.
He was charged with doing an act likely to prejudice service discipline.
Lt Col Pirie, who is leaving the New Zealand Defence Force to move to Australia after 22 years' service, was chief of staff and press officer of his Provincial Reconstruction Team at Bamiyan in Afghanistan.
Officers over the rank of major charged with such offences automatically face court martial.
Today the court martial, presided over by Judge Hector Dawson and heard by a panel of five senior ranking defence force officers, was told Lt Col Pirie had worked late the night before and had had only 4-1/2 hours sleep.
Lt Col Pirie told the court he had suffered a momentary lapse in concentration, six months into a "hard working" tour, and had fired a round during a dry drill (where no shots are permitted).
An airforce squadron leader is to face a court martial tomorrow over a similar offence in Iraq.
- NZPA
