October 14, 2008

Teens sent for trial on shotgun charges

Two 17-year-olds have been committed for trial on charges arising from an alleged shotgun incident in central Christchurch.

Jacob Oscar Murray, and Casey Aaron Mike Gathergood, both of Rolleston, were committed to a High Court pre-trial conference after a depositions hearing in the Christchurch District Court today.

Gathergood is on bail but Murray was further remanded in custody to the High Court on November 21.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Jeff Kay handed up the evidence of 18 witnesses in writing to Robert McGregor and Judith Smythe, Justices of the Peace. The defence called no evidence.

Police say the incident on July 20 involved a shotgun being fired from one car at another car containing four people.

Murray, a factory hand, and Gathergood, face joint charges of discharging the shotgun with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to the four people in the other car.

Murray is also charged with burglary of a shipping container and being in charge of the gun when he was too drunk to have proper control.