Urewera accused 'would not hurt a fly'

Emily Felicity Bailey in the High Court in Auckland during the trial regarding the Urewera raids. Photo / Greg Bowker

A woman charged with belonging to an organised criminal group that planned to murder and burn down buildings "would not hurt a fly", a court has heard.

Emily Bailey, Tame Iti, Urs Signer and Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara are on trial at the High Court at Auckland and are accused of being involved in military-style training camps.

They deny charges of possessing guns and belonging to an organised criminal group, with objectives including murder, arson and using guns against the police.

In his closing address today, Bailey's lawyer Val Nisbet said the police's 18-month investigation of the group had not uncovered any plans to commit crimes.

"After all that time investigating, there was nothing that was going to happen. They had to stop, just end it, because it must have used up a lot of money."

Mr Nisbet reminded the jurors his fellow defence lawyer Jeremy Bioletti had told them yesterday to kick the charges to the kerb.

"They should be picked up out of the kerb, put on a truck and dumped at a tip."

He said Ms Bailey did not have a phone or a computer and the only conversations police had intercepted involved her asking Iti for the next dates to the camps.

Mr Nisbet said a rifle had been found in Bailey's tent but there was no ammunition and it had been broken down. He also said there was no evidence she knew it was there.

"She is a good person, a hard working person with no previous convictions and who, it would seem, would not hurt a fly."

Mr Nisbet said his client cared about other people and had joined groups that campaigned against climate change and for the rights of animals, all of which were non-violent.

"Her revolution was not at the point of a gun and it would be absurd for you to think at any time that it was," Mr Nisbet told the jurors.

He also told them of another group Bailey was involved in that would drive around Wellington and plant seeds at night.

"She's certainly more concerned about flowers and beautifying then killing and maiming."

He acknowledged Ms Bailey was a protester and said any democracy needs protestors.

"They are a must for society and without them we make no progress, we don't change."

Justice Rodney Hansen will sum up the case to the jurors tomorrow before they retire to consider their verdict.