Urewera accused to face jury trial

Photo / APN

The Supreme Court has ruled that the four remaining accused over the Urewera police raids will face trial by jury.

They were to have been tried under a judge alone, but the defendants appealed and the court has now ruled that with most of the charges dropped against most of the defendants, that's no longer needed.

The jury trial will begin in February next year.

Chief Justice Sian Elias says the appeal against the judge-alone ruling is allowed by consent.

The Crown initially argued that with 17 people accused, the amount of evidence and the potential length of the trial, it would be too long and complex a case to be put before a jury.

- Newstalk ZB