Man accused of axe attack on Murupara Police Station faces Rotorua court

The front door of the Murupara Police Station following an incident on Wednesday morning. Photo / Ben Fraser

A man accused of breaking into the Murupara Police Station using an axe has appeared in the Rotorua District Court.

Mark Howard Christiansen, 55, described in court documents as a Galatea retailer, appeared in court charged with burglary with a weapon, intentional damage and threatening grievous bodily harm.

He did not enter pleas.

Charging documents said Christiansen was accused of entering the Pine Drive station on March 26 without authority and with intent to commit an imprisonable offence in that building.

He is accused of using an axe as a weapon, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

Christiansen is alleged to have intentionally damaged several doors in the building, and of threatening to do grievous bodily harm to a man in Thames on Tuesday.

Judge Greg Hollister-Jones declined a request from Christiansen’s acting lawyer Mike Olphert for a bail application hearing tomorrow.

Christiansen was remanded in custody to reappear on April 3, when he must enter pleas. Judge Hollister-Jones said his assigned lawyer, Tim Braithwaite, could apply for bail on his behalf before then.

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.