New charges laid; name released

CHRISTCHURCH: A Christchurch eye surgeon yesterday denied attempted murder after an alleged home invasion in the port of Lyttelton earlier this month.

Ian William Dallison (65) can be named for the first time after interim suppression lapsed at Christchurch District Court yesterday afternoon.

Dallison, who is from the suburb of Merivale and whose occupation has been listed as doctor, was earlier charged with unlawfully entering a property, using a pistol as a weapon and two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Police said they received a report of an assault at a residence in St Davids St in Lyttelton at 7.45pm on August 4.

‘‘Two people are being treated, one of them for serious injuries, one of them for moderate injuries,’’ police said at the time.

The people involved in the incident were known to each other, police said.

At his first court appearance, Dallison was granted interim name suppression.

But yesterday, new charges were laid in court, including an allegation that he attempted to murder a man during the incident.

It was also alleged that he had six firearms with him at the Lyttelton house.

Dallison has also been charged with unlawfully possessing a restricted weapon, namely a Maglite torch gun and two mag pen guns.

Through his lawyer, Dallison entered not guilty pleas to all six charges.

The case has now been transferred to the High Court at Christchurch, where Judge Bruce Davidson yesterday remanded Dallison in custody to appear on September 9.

No application for bail was made yesterday.

One other suppression order covers the case. The reasons for that suppression order cannot be published. —