Pharmacist: 'It was hanging over us'

Grant Gillard had to relive the incident in a scene reconstruction run by police. Photo / Natalie Slade

Auckland pharmacist Grant Gillard says he is relieved a traumatic and tragic event is behind him after police told him today he would not be charged over the death of a burglar last year.

Mr Gillard fought with Bruce Allan Jones, 46, a career criminal who had broken into his Mt Albert pharmacy early one morning last August. Jones died during the struggle and today police said they had investigated the death and no one would be charged with a criminal offence. It would be referred to the coroner.

"We are very relieved it is behind us now," Mr Gillard said.

"It has been a very traumatic event for us to go through and we are very pleased to have it behind us."

He said it was traumatic for both his family and the family of Jones.

"It is not a situation anybody would like to be caught up in," he told NZPA.

Mr Gillard said he had had a lot of support from his wife Vera, colleagues and customers.

"That has also helped tremendously."

He said the past six months had been a time of uncertainty.

"You can never be sure. It was hanging over us a bit."

Mr Gillard went to the pharmacy after the alarm went off and searched the shop with a security guard. They found nothing and the guard left but Mr Gillard then found Jones who had been hiding.

During a struggle Jones died and could not be revived by police or paramedics. He was thought to have had cardiac problems.

Mr and Mrs Gillard were both shocked at what had happened and after being spoken to by police they contacted a lawyer.

They had run the pharmacy for more than 40 years after buying it in 1969, six months before they were married.

After the event Mrs Gillard told NZPA they had been overwhelmed with support for what had been a "most traumatic" time.

"It is really terrible," she said

"We have been overwhelmed, absolutely overwhelmed with support. We have had people phoning from up and down the country. We have had flowers, we have had cards, we have had emails, it has been overwhelming.

"At the moment we are not feeling all that great," she said several days after the break-in.

Mrs Gillard said messages of support continuing were "the most amazing thing and that has sort of kept us going."

Jones had spent years in and out of prison and had an extensive criminal history, including a 30-month sentence for causing a fatal car crash in 2002 while high on cannabis, methadone and tranquilizers.

- NZPA