Jury considering verdict in cop cover-up case

George Harris was hit and killed by a truck in 2004 after allegedly being assaulted by off-duty constable Clinton Lyall Hill. Photo / Supplied

The jury has gone out to consider its verdict in a case in which a police officer is accused of a cover up of the circumstances leading to the death of man fleeing custody.

Clinton Lyall Hill is charged with assaulting George Harris before Mr Harris escaped and was hit and killed by a truck about 4.30am on October 3, 2004.

Hill is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Hill was an off-duty constable who had arrested Mr Harris for allegedly trying to steal his cell phone. He denies there was ever an assault or a cover up.

Two other constables who were with him changed their evidence in 2008 and said they had given false statements as part of a cover up and that Mr Harris fled after being beaten by the accused.

They were sentenced in August 2008 to 15 months jail, reduced on appeal to home detention.

Hill's lawyer, John Haigh QC, told the jury in the Auckland High Court today that he had no idea why the two constables might confess to something that hadn't occurred. But he said it was the jury's job to evaluate the many inconsistencies in the evidence and decide whether they amounted to a reasonable doubt.

The jury began its deliberation about 2pm.