Renton pleads not guilty to protest-related charge

Medicinal cannabis campaigner Rose Renton has pleaded not guilty to an offensive behaviour charge, related to a protest at the Nelson Market.

Charges were laid following an incident last year where thenenvironment Minister Nick Smith allegedly had rat poison hurled at him at the market.

In September, Nelson MP Smith said protesters had thrown and rubbed rat poison on him while he was at his National Party caravan at the Saturday markets.

Renton entered a not guilty plea to the offensive behaviour charge on Monday in the Nelson District Court, and will be back in court on May 11 for a defended hearing.

Following the reported incident, medicinal cannabis campaigner Renton publicly admitted involvement, stating she had been making a ‘‘symbolic statement’’ against the Brook Valley poison drop. However, she denied Smith’s allegation that she rubbed poison in his face.

Smith said on Monday he had confidence in both the police and court system. ‘‘The charge of offensive behaviour is very low order and only comes with the potential for a fine.’’

The alleged incident coincided with the first of three drops of bait laced with the poison brodifacoum at the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary, near Nelson.

Renton is the mother of Nelson teenager Alex Renton who was the first Kiwi to be treated with imported medicinal cannabis. He died in July 2015.