Court told of screams after volley of shots

Neshanderan Rajgopaul. Photo / Dean Purcell

The officer whose partner was shot during a routine patrol in South Auckland heard screams shortly after a volley of shots rang out.

Constable Robert Cato told jurors at the High Court in Auckland that he tried to radio through an emergency call three or four times but could not get through to police communications.

He is giving evidence at the trial of Neshanderan Rajgopaul, 29, who is on trial for the attempted murder of Constable Jeremy Snow and 10 other charges, including assault with a firearm and possession of methamphetamine for supply.

Mr Cato told the court that the officers had been on a routine patrol when they spotted an Audi down a driveway which they believed was being broken into.

On closer inspection, Mr Cato said he saw the pistol grip of a firearm and a baseball bat in the back of the car.

He said his partner, Mr Snow, went to the back of the property and shortly afterward he heard the shots.

"Immediately following the first volley of shots, Jeremy screamed; obviously he was in pain. It was Jeremy's voice. I stopped. I was in shock, really."

Mr Snow's femoral artery was hit and he bled profusely.

Earlier today, Rajgopaul's lawyer, Ron Mansfield, told jurors not to be "lulled into a false state of belief" that the case was straightforward.

He said another man who was at the unit on the night of the shooting had arrest warrants out against him and has taken the firearm to the back of the property when he fled.

He said it was this man, not Rajgopaul, who fired at Mr Snow.