Motorcade hearing opens next week

Prime Minister Helen Clark will not have to give evidence when five police officers and a civilian driver go on trial next week over her speeding motorcade.

The six are defending various driving charges in the trial, which begins in the Timaru District Court on Monday and is set down for two weeks.

The charges were laid after Helen Clark's three-vehicle motorcade allegedly drove at more than 140km/h between Waimate and Christchurch in July last year.

The motorcade was rushing to get the Prime Minister to Christchurch Airport in time to catch a plane that would get her back to Wellington for the start of a rugby test.

The Weekend Herald understands that neither Helen Clark nor Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton, who was also in the motorcade, will give evidence.

An application was made by at least one defence lawyer for certain witnesses to be called, but this was refused by Judge John Strettell and neither politician can be compelled to appear in court when Parliament is sitting.

Crown prosecutor Phil Shamy said the Crown would call about 30 witnesses, including David Lewis, a member of Helen Clark's staff who travelled in the motorcade.

The prosecution was not calling Helen Clark or Mr Sutton to testify because they were "not relevant to proof of the charges", the prosecutor said.

Two of the people on trial, a police officer and the civilian driver, have name suppression.

Together they face a total of 19 driving charges.

Constable Simon Vincent, 32, of Ashburton, Senior Constable Alister Doonan, 50, Constable Ian Howard, 36, both of Timaru, and Senior Constable Clinton Vallender, 42, Waimate, face various charges of dangerous driving or being party to dangerous driving.