Murder accused Aaron George Izett is on trial in the High Court at Rotorua. Photo / File
Murder accused Aaron George Izett is on trial in the High Court at Rotorua. Photo / File
A jury has heard a man accused of murdering his daughter tried to "bite and attack" police officers and warned that his daughter would die if they did not release him.
Maketū Coastguard's Todd O'Connell gave evidence today in the trial of Aaron George Izett, 38, in the High Court at Rotorua.
O'Connell said it took multiple shots of ketamine to sedate Izett, who showed "unreal" strength as he resisted arrest, and several police officers to restrain him.
Izett had to be Tasered twice, the court also heard.
Izett is defending a charge of murdering 2-year-old Nevaeh Jahkaya Whatukura Ager.
The toddler's body was found by police on the tidal flats at Little Waihi, Maketū on March 21 last year while her mother was in the hospital, having given birth to her son.
The Crown alleges Izett's "meth rage" led to him killing his daughter and assaulting three other people.
O'Connell said on the afternoon of March 21 last year he was paged to help police with a sea rescue in the Little Waihi estuary.
On arrival, he saw a naked man splashing around in the water about 200 metres from shore and the male's demeanour was "quite aggressive", he said.
O'Connell said once they launched their Coastguard boat, Izett started to run through the water - which at times was waist-deep - and headed towards the far shore at Pukehina.
He and a police officer headed out on a jet ski but could not see the naked male at first, but then learned he had been arrested.
A police officer came over asked for a first aid kit after being bitten on the arm, he said.
"There was quite a bit of blood."
O'Connell said he could see the naked male surrounding by several officers.
"The man was very aggressive, he was handcuffed at that stage and moving very violently and trying to bite and attack anyone he could ... He was saying the pain just makes him stronger and they (police) should release him before he hurts us."
O'Connell said Izett also made a number of comments directed at him and the police about what he would do if they did not.
"Something along the lines of gouging our eyes out, probably murdering us or killing us."
O'Connell said Izett had to be physically restrained and strapped firmly into the stretcher and sedated twice and again while they were trying to carry him across the estuary.
"I was holding his feet, but he was power kicking out at us ... His strength was unreal."
O'Connell said he never heard Izett's daughter mentioned until police were saying something about a murder to the accused.
As a police officer was reading him his rights, Izett said "he didn't understand" and the officer had to repeat himself a few times.
Izett then began to say to the officers that his daughter was " in trouble at home alone and "she's going to die" if they did not release him," O' Connell said.
About 20 minutes later other police staff arrived to relieve the officers with Izett, as they were fatigued due to the accused being " hard to restrain". he said
St John Ambulance staff administered drugs to calm Izett down and he was placed into a firmer stretcher to carry him across the estuary, he said.
O'Connell said the drugs worked only for a bit but more sedation had to be administered halfway across the estuary before Izett was placed in the back of the ambulance.
Sonia Wright, a St John ambulance officer whose written statement was read to the court, drove Izett to Tauranga Hospital.
Despite being restrained by four police officers, the accused was still aggressive and had chewed through his spit mask.
Te Puke man Patrick Archer told the court he entered into a business venture with Izett after meeting him for the first time in late 2018.
Archer said not long after he learned of Nevaeh's death, Izett's mother phoned him and told him that her son had suffered "some kind of breakdown".
"When I spoke to Aaron he sounded quite broken and shaky," he said.
Several Little Waihi residents have given similar accounts about Izett's "erratic and odd" behaviour and that it had escalated in the weeks leading up to his daughter's death.
This included Izett often being seen out on the mudflats in the estuary "ranting and raving", "chanting", swearing and "cursing the Pākehā" and often speaking gibberish.
Rim Paul said on March 21, 2019, he heard Izett out in the estuary saying "this is my land" and saw a naked Izett being "threatening towards the police" and trying to evade capture.
"Aaron was ranting and raving about the land and his ancestry, and I would say this would have gone on for about three hours."
Maketū toddler Nevaeh Ager, 2. Photo / File
The Crown alleges Izett's "meth rage" led to him killing his daughter and assaulting three other people.
The court heard that Nevaeh sustained severe multiple injuries, including to her buttocks, face, head, lips, and ears, caused by a weapon or weapons with about eight to 10 blows.
She also had neck injuries, which showed the "degree of force", the Crown said.
The Crown says after Nevaeh was assaulted, Izett placed her body face-down on mudflats in the estuary, then put two large rocks on top of her and she drowned.
Izett has also pleaded not guilty to charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault and injuring with intent to injure.
The charges relate to alleged assaults of two civilians and a police officer.
The defence has argued Izett lacked the necessary murderous intent and he should be found not guilty by reason of insanity at the time of committing the acts.
