Kawerau siege trial: Warren told to sit down during his opening address

The alleged gunman at the centre of the Kawerau siege has had his first attempt at addressing the jury cut short after Justice Timothy Brewer told him it was not the time to be saying what he thought of him or the court.

Rhys Warren started his opening address by greeting the court in Maori and then apologising to the court and jury for wasting their time.

Warren began describing the way he had been treated in an earlier court appearance in Tauranga saying the judge had spoken over him.

Brewer interrupted him saying this was the opportunity for him to tell the jury in a shortened version his defence to the charges or key points they should look out for.

"What you think of me, what you think of the court process is not relevant in this way."

Warren was then ordered by Brewer to sit down after he continued to read the same speech.

A police forensic photographer was the first witness to be called where crown prosecutor Aaron Perkins got him to verify the photos.

When it was Warren's turn to cross examine, he asked the witness if he was a police officer and if he believed in the constitution. Brewer interrupted him and said it was not a question he could put to a witness.

Warren is charged with two counts of attempted murder, one charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and three counts of using a firearm against a law enforcement officer.

Constable Regan Mauheni, Constable Damian White, Constable Andrew Flinn, and Sergeant Logan Marsh were all allegedly shot by Warren on March 9, 2016, at a property about 9km from Kawerau.