In brief

Search fruitless

The search for Kim Bambus continued yesterday, with police and rescue teams scouring West Auckland for the missing jogger. Police remained hopeful the 21-yearold would be found alive. Bambus has been missing since Friday morning after she did not return home from a run at Piha beach.

Snake hitches ride

Biosecurity staff at Auckland Airport were greeted by an unexpected passenger hitching a ride on a private jet. A snake was spotted on the tarmac after the aircraft landed on Sunday and was initially contained with a bucket by airport staff. The snake was thought to be a brown tree snake. Craig Hughes, from the Ministry for Primary Industries, said a snake handler was quickly on the scene. ’’It appears the snake crawled into the wheel housing of a private jet that arrived from Brisbane.’’

Courtroom brawl

A brawl broke out inside a Christchurch courtroom when a man accused of murder appeared yesterday. Six police and court staff were needed to subdue Cyle Robert Jetson, 20. Jetson, Deborah Jean Tihema, 38, and a 16-year-old boy have been jointly charged with murdering Pierclaudio Raviola, 65. Raviola was found with serious head injuries on Thursday night and he later died. The judge moved the sitting to another courtroom but there was more shouting and shoving. There was another confrontation outside the courthouse involving supporters of the trio, police, court staff and media. The defendants have been remanded in custody without plea until April 12.