Accused went 'blank' after firing, court told

Sergeant Don Wilkinson was shot in September 2008. Photo / Supplied

Murder accused John Skinner says the only thing he can remember from the confrontation with slain officer Don Wilkinson is firing a single shot before his memory went "blank".

The High Court at Auckland heard today that Skinner, 37, remembered firing once "and the rest is just blank". He fired in response to what he said was Mr Wilkinson reaching for his waist - an action he believed was the undercover officer reaching for a gun.

Skinner and Iain Lindsay Clegg, 33, are on trial for murdering Mr Wilkinson in September 2008 during a covert police operation. they are accused of attempting to murder his colleague, who has name suppression and is known as Officer M.

Both men have plead not guilty.

Crown prosecutor Simon Moore SC accused him of firing at Officer M, including shooting him in the back while he was on the ground, before opening fire on Mr Wilkinson.

Skinner replied: "I know I didn't fire at him first".

He could not recall the sequences of shots fired and was "in shock for ages after that because my life had just been threatened" and after the shot next remembered being back at his house.

Mr Moore told Skinner to stand up in the witness box and show the court the action Mr Wilkinson allegedly made.

He did so but moved his hand slightly from the original position it had been in. Mr Moore told him it was "terribly important" to get it right and it wasn't funny.

Skinner: "I don't think this is very funny. This isn't a joke to me."

Mr Moore accused him of painting a picture of "these two police officers" as aggressors. Skinner said he wasn't painting anything but was just saying what happened.

"You and Mr Clegg took matters in your hands and chased them...Shouted, abused, challenged them?"

The court heard Skinner deny he and Clegg "put their heads together" when they were back at the house to come up with a story for the police.

Mr Moore pointed out they were the only ones armed to which Skinner said "with a slug gun".