ZB ZB
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Listen to NAME OF STATION
Up next
Listen live on
ZB

Three Hawera police officers on trial after man died in custody

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 17 May 2021, 7:50PM
Photo / NZ Herald
Photo / NZ Herald

Three Hawera police officers on trial after man died in custody

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 17 May 2021, 7:50PM

Three Hawera police officers are being accused of negligence in the care of a man who died in custody.

They are on trial at the High Court in New Plymouth, after Allen Ball was found dead in a cell in 2019.

The 55-year-old was intoxicated when arrested, and fell asleep in the police car.

The Crown alleges the officers' negligence was a causal factor in his death, which they claim amounts to manslaughter.

Ball was captured on CCTV at the station and in a cell - in video and sound, including what the officers said.

The court has been told the officers failed to give any medical treatment to Ball for more than two hours.

Herald Reporter Belinda Feek is covering the trial. She told Heather du Plessis-Allan there was alcohol, codeine and tramadol in his system.

"The officers had checked on him, but he was basically in there for [about] two and a half hours before an ambulance was called."

LISTEN ABOVE

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you