Carpark gunman convicted of attempted murder

A 21-year-old man who shot a stranger in the face during a shooting spree in Hamilton has been found guilty of attempted murder.

A jury of four men and eight women took 2-1/2 hours yesterday to convict Josiah Paul Charteris on the final day of a three-day trial in the High Court at Hamilton.

Charteris was also found guilty of attempted kidnapping and assault with a weapon.

He had denied attempting to murder 17-year-old Daniel Shorten in the KFC carpark on Ulster St on March 9.

He also denied attempting to kidnap another man, Shane Derry, and assaulting him with a weapon on the same night.

At the start of the trial he pleaded guilty to seven other charges including firearms offences, burglary and wilful damage.

The court was told how, on March 9 this year, Charteris and co-accused Glenn Gibb, who is also awaiting sentencing for his part in the crime, went on a shooting spree in Hamilton.

After meeting Gibb in Steele Park, Hamilton East, Charteris shot at trees and a moving car in Liverpool St. The duo then went to the KFC carpark where Charteris first shot Mr Shorten's car, then his face.

The two men stopped Mr Derry's car at traffic lights on the corner of Mill St and Willoughby St and attempted to steal the car and put Mr Derry in the boot, but Mr Derry sped off.

After that the two men burgled an Ulster St motel room.

Charteris and Gibb will be sentenced on October 3.

- NZPA