Father and son accused of greenstone theft to stand trial

Two Haast helicopter pilots accused of stealing about $1 million worth of pounamu (greenstone) will stand trial in Dunedin District Court.

David Anthony Saxton, 60, and his son, Morgan David Saxton, 28, are jointly charged with stealing pounamu from the Cascade Plateau in South Westland between January 1, 1995 and October 12, 2004, and being involved in money-laundering between October 29, 1997 and October 12 last year.

After a five-day depositions hearing in Alexandra District Court before Justices of the Peace Robert Montgomery and Laura Currie they were committed to trial.

Both men have pleaded not guilty.

It is only the second prosecution under the Ngai Tahu Pounamu Vesting Act 1997, which gave ownership of pounamu to Ngai Tahu.

Detective Sergeant Christopher James Roberts of Christchurch police said photographs and video tapes showing the Saxtons involved in the cutting and extraction of pounamu, together with transcripts of telephone intercepts, pointed to the defendants' knowledge that the stone was illegally obtained.

Defence witnesses gave evidence that the Saxtons had been given customary rights to gather the pounamu.

The men were remanded on bail until March 31.

- NZPA