Man in court over police assault charge

A 20-year-old man alleged to have knocked unconscious a police officer in Invercargill during the weekend was granted bail after appearing in Invercargill District Court.

Whaitiri David Malachi Junior Richardson appeared before Judge Mark Callaghan on yesterday on charges of aggravated wounding, assaulting a police officer and attempting to avoid arrest.

Police allege Richardson assaulted two police officers on the intersection of Dee and Don streets at 2.30am on Sunday.

Richardson, through his lawyer Sonia Vidal, was granted bail until his next appearance on October 2, when he is expected to enter a plea.

Bail conditions include a daily curfew, not to drink alcohol or enter licensed premises and not to have contact with the police officers involved or any witnesses.

The judge suppressed the names of the police officers.

❚ A 40-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to 18 charges, including robbery and multiple burglaries, after being arrested near Queenstown during the weekend.

Richard John Percival, who was arrested in Frankton, near Queenstown, on Saturday, pleaded not guilty to all 18 charges laid against him when he appeared in the Invercargill District court yesterday morning.

He faces a charge of robbery, seven burglary charges, three of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, three of theft and one each of failing to stop when required, reckless driving, refusing a police officer’s request for blood and attempting to unlawfully take a motor vehicle.

Percival told Judge Mark Callaghan he was pleading not guilty to all charges and elected trial by jury.

The judge told him he was entitled to be legally represented before he did that, but Percival said he wished to continue with his pleas.

The judge remanded him back into custody and ordered him to reappear in court on October 31 for a case review hearing.

Police say Percival’s offending began in Christchurch in late June, and continued through Ashburton, Timaru, Balclutha, Invercargill and Queenstown.