Farmer denies shotgun charge

Kawakawa farmer Paul McIntyre appeared in the Kaikohe District Court yesterday for trial over an incident on his Whangae farm in 2002, in which an intruder was shot and injured while trying to steal a farm bike.

McIntyre, 47, is charged with discharging a shotgun without reasonable cause in a manner likely to endanger the safety of any person. He denies the charge.

Yesterday Judge Michael Lance heard prolonged pre-trial legal argument and suppressed the details.