The five-week trial of a South Westland father and son accused of stealing pounamu (greenstone) neared its end in Christchurch District Court today.
The defence, which called 17 witnesses, closed its case and Judge Gary MacAskill adjourned the hearing until June 25 for closing addresses.
On trial are
Haast helicopter pilots David Anthony Saxton, 60, and Morgan David Saxton, 28.
They deny joint theft charges and the elder Saxton also pleaded not guilty to one charge against him alone dating back to 1991.
Crown prosecutor Robin Bates told the court as the trial began that the pair had no right to take pounamu worth $800,000 from the Cascade Plateau.
The defence case is that David Saxton was able to take it through a customary Maori right available to him through a family connection.
Defence lawyer, QC Colin Withnall, also told the court that some of the money the crown said came from pounamu sales was actually for helicopter services provided to other pounamu prospectors and miners.
- NZPA
