Roper charged with assaulting prison guards
A prisoner serving a life sentence for murder has appeared in court to deny charges of assaulting and resisting prison officers.
Nikki Roper, 25, denied four charges in the Christchurch District Court today and was remanded at prison for a case review hearing on December 15.
Roper was convicted of the 2010 murder of Alexsis Maria Tovizi and jailed for life at his sentencing in the Christchurch High Court last year.
Today, Roper was initially stood down until later in the day when his case was called.
He came into the dock smiling, pulling faces, and making “gangsta” finger salutes to people in the public seats, and when Judge Jane McMeeken asked if he was ready, he replied: “If you are, Miss.”
The attitude in the reply led to him being sent back to the cells.
Judge McMeeken then checked whether Roper had any lawyer representing him. Defence lawyer Clayton Williams stood and said he had spoken to Roper as duty lawyer but Roper had said he wished to represent himself in court.
When the case was recalled, Roper confirmed he was representing himself, and then pleaded not guilty to charges of resisting and assaulting male and female prison officers who were acting in the execution of their duty.
The charges allege the incident took place on September 24.
Category: Focus
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