nzherald.co.nz's Edward Gay reports live from the inquest into the Napier gun siege.
14.56: The court has adjourned for the day.
14.49: The partner of gunman Jan Molenaar wept as the Coroner read her the suicide notes that Molenaar left for police to find.
Delwyn Keefe gave evidence at the inquest into the shooting of Senior
Coinstable Len Snee in Napier.
Coroner David Crerar read the notes to the court.
"I was bad. I paid for my crime. I let everyone down. I know I let
everyone down, I know." He signed the note "JM".
Mr Crerar also read the note that Molenaar left for Keefe.
"I love you Del. You are so faithful I did the best to make you happy.
Love, Jannimo forever."
Mr Crerar said: "Those were his last thoughts. He knew he had let
people down and had gone too far in his actions that day."
He asked Keefe to verify the handwriting and she did.
Mr Crerar also asked if Keefe had known about Molenaar's cache of
weapons that included an assault rifle. She said she did not know he
had guns.
Police officers have previously given evidence that they saw a sawn
off shotgun in a garage, near a stash of once bags of cannibis that
Keefe had shown to police.
Mr Crerar asked Keefe if she wanted to be at the inquest tomorrow but
she said she would like to go back to prison.
14.31:The partner of gunman Jan Molenaar has told a court that she warned police that her partner would be "ropable" when he got home and found three police officers searching his house.
Delwyn Keefe said she opened the door to police and let them inside
but warned them that there will be trouble when Molenaar came home
from walking his dog, last May.
Keefe is serving a jail sentence for her part in Molenaar's cannabis
growing and dealing operation.
She said Jan told the police to "get the f'n hell out of my house," she said.
Keefe said a police officer told Molenaar: "There's no need for that."
She said she saw Molenaar had a gun.
"I ran towards Jan with my arms in the air," Keefe said.
She said she told Senior Constable Len Snee to leave the home.
"I said get out because you don't know him like I do," Keefe said.
She said Molenaar went on to his balcony as the police officers were
making there way up the driveway.
She said Molenaar told police: "I f'n told yous".
"That's when the shootings happened. I closed my eyes," she said.
Keefe described seeing the body of Snee on the ground and another body
"getting dragged up the hill".
She said she told Jan: "You've shot an f'n cop. He put the gun on the
ground and said: Babe, you go. It's over for me".
Keefe said she went into the kitchen and grabbed her car keys before
driving out of the property.
She said she then stopped the car and went back into the house to get
her cell phone and cigarettes.
Keefe said an Armed Offenders Squad yelled at her to take cover.
"I swore at him too," Keefe said. She then left the house.
"That is exactly how it was if you've heard the story. That is the
truth. That is the truth."
13.08: The man police have described as a hero has told the court how he wrestled with gunman Jan Molenaar, in an effort to stop him shooting police.
Len Holmwood, a neighbour and friend of Molenaar told the court that he would occasionally buy cannabis from Molenaar.
He said he was told to leave Molenaar's home when Molenaar returned and found police executing a search warrant, last May.
Mr Holmwood said he saw Molenaar shoot Senior Constable Len Snee before shooting and wounding Senior Constables Miller and Diver.
He said Molenaar came out on the street and aimed at the police officers as they tried to crawl to safety.
"I grabbed the rifle and turned it towards the road," Mr Holmwood said.
"I wrestled for the firearm with Jan for about 10 seconds," he said.
Mr Holmwood said he was pushed onto the asphalt road by Molenaar before being shot in the hip. The bullet damaged his pelvis and splintered before exiting through his buttocks.
"I was swearing at him for shooting at me. I crawled up the roadway towards where Senior Constable Snee was lying on the ground."
He said he tried to drag Mr Snee to safety but was not strong enough. Mr Holmwood said he was loaded into a police car and taken to Hawkes Bay Hospital, where he spent 18 days in hospital - six of which were in intensive care.
He said he still requires a splint to walk.
12.57: Detective Superintendent Rod Drew was asked by Coroner David Crerar about an anonymous letter police received 15 years before the siege.
The letter said Molenaar had guns and was dealing cannabis, sometimes to children.
Asked by Mr Crerar what normally happens when police receive such a letter, Mr Drew said information like that is normally acted on.
"Certainly, that's what we desire. In this case we don't know - it is 14-15 years old and there is nothing on our system whether it was [acted on] or not," Mr Drew said.
He said nowadays such a letter would be investigated with more "vigor".
Mr Drew was also asked if there was any disciplinary action if police failed to tell police communications when they were issuing search warrants. He also asked what happens if police do not wear their stab proof vests.
Mr Drew said there was no disciplinary action but he hoped police would take all possible safety measures.
The partner of Molenaar, Delwyn Keefe also asked a question: "Because your guys weren't wearing protective vests, doesn't that become an OSH issue?"
Mr Crerar said the Department of Labour would be appearing at the inquest tomorrow.
12.45: Police found one ounce bags of cannabis and a sawn off shotgun when they executed a search warrant in Napier last May.
Senior Constable Bruce Miller told the court that he smelt cannabis as soon as he went into the house of Napier gunman Jan Molenaar.
Mr Miller, who has 18 years of experience in the police, said Molenaar pointed a gun at the three officers when he came home and found the police in his home.
He said all three police officers, including himself, stood at the top of Molenaar's driveway.
Mr Miller wept as he told the court that "without warning Molenaar fired a number of shots. I believe at least two at Mr Snee and at the same time I saw Senior Constable Snee tumble backwards".
He said he was shot by Molenaar with a bullet travelling through his bowel, rupturing his spleen and damaging three ribs.
Mr Miller said he underwent four rounds of surgery and spent 18 days in hospital, seven of which were in a comma.
12.27: One of the police officers shot and wounded by gunman Jan Molenaar has broken down as he told the Coroner's court how his long-time colleague was shot dead by Molenaar.
Senior Constable Grant Diver wept as he said he and two other police officers were ordered out of Molenaar's house after Molenaar got angry.
The dog handler with 27 years' experience described how he looked back to see Molenaar on his balcony.
"As we were about to leave and without warning, Molenaar opened fire," Mr Diver said.
"I remember just as this happened, I tried to turn and run but was shot through the arm and groin. I attempted to run but these injuries caused me to fall over."
He told the court that he crawled up the hill to try and find a place to take cover. Mr Diver said he looked back and could see Senior Constable Miller but not Mr Snee.
Mr Diver broke down and was asked if he would like someone else to finish reading his evidence. He said he would carry on.
Mr Diver told the court that he has undergone four lots of surgery and was only back in work in March this year.
