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Kawerau siege trial: Rhys Warren found guilty

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Fri, 24 Mar 2017, 1:41PM
Armed police stand guard on Onepu Springs Rd, just out from Kawerau during the siege. Photo / File
Armed police stand guard on Onepu Springs Rd, just out from Kawerau during the siege. Photo / File

Kawerau siege trial: Rhys Warren found guilty

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Fri, 24 Mar 2017, 1:41PM

UPDATED 5.28pm: Rhys Warren has been found guilty of shooting at four police officers during a siege near Kawerau last year.

Warren was found guilty of two counts of attempted murder, three charges of firing at a police officer and one charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The public gallery was silent when the verdicts were delivered.

Warren resisted when being taken out of court and yelled threats before leaving.

Speaking after the verdict, the officer in charge of the investigation Detective Inspector Mike Foster said he was ecstatic with the result.

With Warren defending himself, Detective Foster acknowledged it was a difficult situation, with the shooter questioning his victims.

But he said the officers handled it well.

"I've got full trust in their professionalism, we didn't need to speak to them before they went into the box, they just reacted how they did and I thought they presented extremely well."

After the verdict a friend of Warren launched a scathing attack on the judge.

Friend Jesse Church maintains Warren was merely defending himself when he opened fire.

"The police were going to kill him - that's exactly what they were going to do. They were going to kill him. Do you think they were going to let that Maori boy come out of the house alive? Hell no."

Warren will be sentenced on the 26th of May in Tauranga.

 

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