The Star: December 20, 2018

More documents

Recommendations

Info

8 Thursday December 20 2018 Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi The Star News The crimes that shook As the year draws to a close, reporter Sophie Cornish looks back on the major crimes in the region April •Nicole Tuxford was strangled and had her throat slashed in her own home on April 7. Her killer, a 54-year-old, who has name suppression, pleaded guilty to the murder of the 27-year-old in her Exeter St, Merivale property. He will be sentenced on January 31 and will face trial in May, to defend charges of sexual violation of Miss Tuxford and unlawfully taking her car. Miss Tuxford was a life coach and was helping the man, but he wanted a relationship with her. When the man found out Miss Tuxford was already in relationship with someone else, he said it felt like a “kick in the guts.” Prior to the murder, the man spent hours drinking in a bar then attempted to drive to Miss Tuxford’s house. He was caught drink driving at a checkpoint on Bealey Ave and his level was 614mcg/l. After being processed, the man took a taxi to Miss Tuxford’s home. He waited for her all night until she returned home after staying elsewhere. He confronted Miss Tuxford about the relationship, then bound her before killing her. June •After being missing for a week, Oliver Johnston, 20, was found dead on a Woodend property on June 30. Police said his body was found Oliver Johnston MERIVALE MURDER: The killing of Nicole Tuxford (above), 27, in her Exeter St home shocked Cantabrians. Her killer will be sentenced at the end of January. after he had been seriously assaulted between June 23 and 28. A friend of Mr Johnston’s, Heath Morris, 18, was arrested on July 1 and charged with his murder. Morris’ parents had called police after he admitted there was a body in a blanket in a field on their Jelfs Rd lifestyle block. Police found the blanket and signs of a serious assault, but it took two days and intense specialist searches to find the body. Mr Johnston was a former St Andrew’s College student. Morris has been in custody since his arrest and his trial date is set for August 5. His name suppression lapsed and he was denied electronically monitored bail. July •Steffan Pearce-Loe, 30, was out walking his dogs on Gayhurst Rd in Dallington in the early hours of July 5 when he was hit by a car and left with critical injuries. The driver, a 56-year-old woman, thought she had hit a dog and kept driving. Mr Pearce-Loe died from his injuries in Christchurch Hospital the following day. Two days after the incident, an “eagle-eyed” detective found the vehicle involved, which had damage consistent with the crash, parked in a driveway several kilometres from the scene. Last week the woman was charged with failing to stop to ascertain injury after an accident. She was granted name suppression and entered no pleas when she appeared in the district court on Monday. She will next appear on January 24. Mr Pearce-Loe was engaged to be married. August •An elderly couple were bashed, threatened and robbed in their own home in Papanui by Maera Todd and Shantai Lawson. John and Colleen McCammon were attacked by Todd, 39 and Lawson, 38, who demanded money on August 13. Mr McCammon, 83, had a pillow held over his face to muffle his screams and was threatened with his own garden secateurs. Mrs McCammon, 81, was pushed backwards down her front steps by Todd. She landed on her back on their concrete path, receiving bruising and grazing. A neighbour who had noticed something wrong alerted police, who were able to catch Todd and Lawson on a nearby street, after they fled from the St James Ave home, stealing a cellphone, a wallet and a watch. Todd was jailed for seven years and four months last month. Lawson pleaded guilty to the robbery charge and has been remanded in custody for sentencing in January. Powerful impact statements read by Mr and Mrs McCammon at Todd’s sentencing said the attack had “totally changed” their lives. “You have viciously and violently changed our lives and we will never forget it,” said Mr McCammon. ATTACK: Colleen McCammon and her husband John McCammon said their lives were “totally changed” after they were attacked in their Papanui home. Christchurch Art Gallery’s Design Store is stocked with treasures to help you master the art of inspired Christmas shopping. With an hour of free parking, why not take in an exhibition then enjoy a coffee. Too easy! christchurchartgallery.org.nz/shop #chchartgallerystore Strategic Partner
The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Thursday December 20 2018 9 Canterbury in 2018 September •Shiu Prasad used a kitchen knife to brutally stab his ex-wife Keshni Naicker and her new boyfriend on Ilam Rd, before turning the knife on himself. On September 15, Mr Prasad, 52, had stalked Ms Naicker, 28, and her boyfriend, Asveen Sharan, 31, after she finished her shift at Ilam Lifecare. He approached Ms Naicker near Hanrahan St and stabbed her in the back with the knife, then inflicted several more stab wounds to kill her. He then stabbed and critically injured himself and Mr Sharan. Witnesses reported hearing “a massive scream” which sounded like it came from a woman. Mr Prasad said he planned to commit suicide in front the wife who had left him, but the situation had escalated when he saw her with her new boyfriend. He was allegedly heard saying he would “die with her.” Earlier this month he was sentenced to a jail term of life, with a non-parole term of 13 years. October •Screams could be heard in Darfield when King Cobras gang member Luke Riddell was shot dead in front of his fiancée. The 28-year-old was found on Grange Rd, Charing Cross on October 13, following an altercation with a 24-year-old Christchurch man, who has been charged with his murder. The man handed himself in following a four-day manhunt by police. Daniel French, 35, was also charged and pleaded guilty to more than one charge for unlawful possession of a shotgun in relation to the killing. Marcus Moagutuuli, also a King Cobras member, was charged with assaulting French Luke Riddell and resisting police, following an incident during French’s court appearance, where three men lunged at him. However, they were held back by police. Moagutuuli was sentenced to three months in jail for contempt of court. French has been remanded for sentencing until January 30. The man charged with Mr Riddell’s murder will appear in the High Court on February 5 and has currently entered no pleas. November •Four men arrested following complaints of drugging and sexual assault at a central city bar pleaded not guilty. Police have received more than 25 complaints from woman alleging their drinks were spiked at Mama Hooch on Colombo St. Some women alleged they were taken to another location and sexually assaulted. On November 15 and 19, police arrested the four men age 25, 33, 34 and 36. All four pleaded not guilty, elected trial by jury and were released on bail until a Crown case review hearing on March 13. The charges include sexual violation, stupefying, supplying MDMA, making an intimate visual recording and possession of an objectionable publication. •An 18-year-old was killed when the car she was in that was fleeing police, crashed. Darrin Stewart, 19, then fled the scene of the crash, which killed Alexia Noble-Hazelwood on November 16. Stewart, who handed himself into police, has now been charged with manslaughter, driving Alexia Noble- Hazelwood MURDER: Police examined a property on Stanbury Ave, Somerfield, prior to arresting two men for the murder of 25-yearold Shayne Heappey. recklessly and injuring three passengers and failing to stop for police and to check if anyone was injured. Stewart wrote an emotional Facebook post prior to handing himself into police, saying he was drunk at the time and didn’t want to drive in the first place. A highly emotional court appearance revealed Stewart had been assaulted following the crash, by someone in the street and an order was put in place to suppress any publication of photos of him. The vehicle had been involved in a police pursuit minutes before crashing into a fence and building at Christchurch East School on Gloucester St. He will next appear in February and has strict bail conditions. •Donald Ineson was shot by police on November 25 after he ran over a police officer and threatened his family with a firearm. Armed police rushed to a home in Bangor Rd, Darfield, following reports of a domestic incident where a man had threatened a family member with a gun, which he had fired several times at a door. Police attempted to stop the man, who had driven away from his home, by laying road spikes, when he drove into a police officer, causing a serious leg injury. He then turned around and drove back towards police, prior to being shot by them. December •Pregnant mother Renee Percy, 35, and Dennis Tunnicliffe, 25, were killed when Tunnicliffe crashed after failing to stop for police. In the early hours of December 5, the car, which was going more than twice the speed limit, crashed into a power pole on Breezes Rd, Aranui. Police had abandoned the pursuit minutes before he crashed. • Shayne Heappey died after being dropped at Christchurch Hospital with stab wounds on December 8. Two men, a 29-year-old and a 31-year-old, were charged with the murder of the 25-year-old father this week. The 31-year-old man appeared in the Dunedin District Court on Tuesday. He was granted interim name suppression and was remanded in custody until his next appearance in the Christchurch High Court on February 5. The 29-year-old man was also remanded in custody and will appear in the district court tomorrow. A 50-year-old man was also charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He was remanded in custody until January 11. Police set up examinations at properties last week, in Oakhurst Pl, Russley, and in Stanbury Ave, Somerfield. A PLAYGROUND FOR CHILDREN. NOT FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKERS. Our country is a target for criminal networks, looking to clean their money. It’s estimated that over $1 billion a year comes from drug dealing and fraud, and can be laundered through New Zealand businesses. Risking our reputation and economy. So, we’re making law changes to protect New Zealand and everything we love about it. To find out more, visit keepourmoneyclean.govt.nz
Page 1 and 2: Circulation 92,573 Thursday, Decemb
Page 3 and 4: The Star 3 News • By Emily O’C
Page 5 and 6: The Star Latest Christchurch news a
Page 7: The Star Latest Christchurch news a

The Star: December 20, 2018

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?