Bonnie and Clyde pair to face depositions hearing

A Palmerston North couple who allegedly shot at police during a Bonnie and Clyde-style chase in North Otago in February now face a depositions hearing.

Stacey Estelle Snelleksz, 20, and Christopher Daniel Shaw, 25, appeared before Judge Stephen O'Driscoll in Oamaru District Court yesterday on charges relating to the callout at Palmerston on February 2 and in the weeks leading up to it.

Unlike their previous court appearances, they appeared in the dock separately, the Timaru Herald reported.

The couple originally faced more than 100 charges arose from an alleged mini crime-wave which started in Picton and ended when their Land Rover crashed near Palmerston, north of Dunedin, on February 2.

Several shots were fired during the police chase and road spikes had not stopped the Land Rover which was eventually stopped and found full of goods believed to have been stolen.

During yesterday's short appearance, Shaw pleaded guilty to 45 charges, not guilty to 10 and a further six were withdrawn.

Appearing after Shaw, Snelleksz did not enter any guilty pleas.

At her previous appearance, she pleaded guilty to eight charges, five of receiving stolen goods, one of permitting her premises to be used for cultivating cannabis, one of theft and one charge relating to stealing a trailer.

Two of the charges she was facing were withdrawn yesterday and Snelleksz has pleaded not guilty to several others.

Judge O'Driscoll remanded both Shaw and Snelleksz in custody to a depositions hearing at the Oamaru District Court on July 27.

- NZPA