Court for gun accused

A Taranaki man charged after he allegedly fired a gun and then tried to flag down a motorist while armed has appeared in court.

Yesterday, Daniel Lex Stewart appeared in the New Plymouth District Court where he faces five charges after a February 22 incident in Awakino.

Police were called to Iredale Quay, which is off State Highway 3, about 9am after it was alleged Stewart fired a .22 magnum gun before he unsuccessfully tried to flag down a passing female motorist while holding the firearm.

Police say an unarmed Stewart then got a ride to the Mo¯ kau police station.

A subsequent search of the accused’s Awakino home allegedly turned up cannabis.

The 39-year-old was arrested and faces charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful discharge of a firearm, cultivating cannabis, intimidating behaviour and possession of an offensive weapon.

He did not enter any pleas to the charges and lawyer Kylie Pascoe asked for a further remand of the case. No application was made for Stewart’s release on bail so he was remanded back into custody.

At the hearing, Stewart did plead guilty to an unrelated charge of intimidation and was convicted and sentenced to a six month good behaviour bond by Judge Gregory Hikaka.

On the other matters, the accused will be back in court on March 21.