Man charged for shootings and now robberies

A man who allegedly shot a mother and daughter in Rolleston, south of Christchurch, is now accused of six pub robberies.

Police allege the Ilam 23-yearold, who has interim name suppression, was armed with a shotgun when he held up:

– The Harewood Tavern on March 10 – Brickworks Bar and Restaurant on March 14 – Trevino’s Restaurant and Bar on March 24 – Brickworks Bar and Restaurant again on March 29 – Springston Hotel on April 6, where two shots were fired – Ashburton Hotel on April 19.

Each of the incidents involved a lone gunman. In several, shots were fired.

Five of the six aggravated robbery charges were laid against the 23-year-old in the Christchurch District Court yesterday.

He already faced two charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and two charges of presenting a firearm at a person.

Police launched a manhunt after the mother and daughter were shot at a rural home on Newtons Rd about 9.30pm the previous night.

About two hours later, at 11.20pm, a man allegedly walked into Hotel Ashburton and fired a shot before fleeing with cash.

Police said four or five people were in the hotel at the time. Noone was injured.

The women were taken to Christchurch Hospital with moderate and serious injuries.

The man was arrested after armed police swooped on a property on Pacific Dr in Rakaia Huts, south of Leeston, early on April 20.

Police allege he pointed a shotgun at a man in Rolleston the same day as the women were shot.

Defence counsel Jonathan Eaton QC said he had ordered a psychiatric report for the man.

Judge Jane Farish remanded him in custody to appear again on June 12. He must enter pleas on that date, she said.

Earlier, a judge said identification would inevitably be a critical issue at any trial. His defence earlier said it had commissioned a report to explore mental health issues.