Gang man's appeal dismissed

Former Mongrel Mob member John Wharemako Gillies' reputation did not stop him getting a fair trial in Hawkes Bay, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

Gillies had appealed against his convictions on having cocaine and methamphetamine for supply, aggravated assault and assaulting a police officer.

One of the grounds of his appeal was that he was so notorious, due to publicity about prior convictions, that his trial should have been shifted to another area where jurors would have been less likely to know his background.

Another reason was that a refusal to grant name suppression for a proposed defence witness, who would not otherwise give evidence, gave rise to a possible miscarriage of justice.

The court said it had no evidence that any of the Napier jury sought to be excused because they knew Gillies or knew of him. Nor had his counsel applied for a change in venue.

A later trial was shifted to Wellington where a jury acquitted him of rape and other charges, but the court said that case was moved because of recent publicity about the drug trial.

The court rejected the other grounds for Gillies' appeal, but one remaining issue may be argued in May.

- NZPA