Gunman 'used child as shield'

A gunman allegedly involved in a 'Bonnie and Clyde style' crime spree held a child to his chest to protect himself from armed police, a court was told yesterday.

A police officer also told the court how vulnerable he felt when Christopher Daniel Shaw took "careful aim" at him with a gun.

Shaw, 25, panelbeater, and Stacey Estelle Snelleksz, 20, company director, both of Palmerston North, appeared in Oamaru District Court yesterday for a depositions hearing to decide whether they should stand trial.

Shaw and Snelleksz face multiple charges arising out of their alleged mini crime wave which started in Picton and ended when their Land Rover crashed near Palmerston, north of Dunedin, on February 2.

They include joint charges of using a firearm against police officers, joint charges of wilfully ill-treating two children, aged three and one, and Snelleksz is also accused of dangerous driving causing injury to the three-year-old.

The court heard that several shots were fired as police chased the couple's Land Rover which eventually crashed and was found full of goods believed to have been stolen, The Timaru Herald reported.

Constable Peter Scott, a passenger in a pursuing police car, said he noticed the male passenger lean out his window and turn a rifle back in his direction as the Land Rover was driven towards Palmerston.

The passenger took "careful aim" at him.

"I felt very vulnerable at that time as I had absolutely no protection from a shot," Mr Scott said.

The man held him in his sight for five or six seconds until he quickly turned the rifle away and, in one slow arc, aimed it at Constables Darrin Low and Stefan Witehira, who had laid road spikes at the side of the road.

The weapon was pointing directly at them and there was an "enormous" muzzle flash when it was discharged, Mr Scott said.

Mr Scott was able to get closer to the defendants using the police car as cover.

He saw the man in the paddock about 30m away.

He had a child held to his chest and was backing up the paddock.

The rifle, held against his left hip, was aimed in the officers' general direction.

The woman was purposefully walking with the other child up the paddock.

The hearing continues today.

- NZPA