Man admits shooting officers, dog

Christopher Smith. Photo / Simon Baker

A man today admitted wounding two officers and killing a police dog during a confrontation in Christchurch in July, but denied charges of attempted murder.

Christopher Graeme Smith, 35, will face a High Court trial for attempted murder on May 30.

Smith, a process worker from the suburb of Phillipstown, pleaded guilty to 10 charges at a pre-trial conference session before Justice Graham Panckhurst in the High Court at Christchurch today.

The charges arise from shootings that occurred when police tried to search Smith's Buccleugh Street property for cannabis on July 13. One police officer was shot in the face, another in the leg, and the police dog Gage was killed.

Smith today admitted charges of wounding the officers with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, using a firearm against two other officers, and killing the dog.

He also admitted unlawful possession of a .22 calibre Stirling rifle and a Mauser rifle, a .22 rifle with a silencer and telescopic sight, and an offensive weapon - a knife - and cultivation of cannabis.

Justice Panckhurst recorded the guilty pleas on the wounding charges but did not enter convictions because they are alternatives to the attempted murder charges which are still proceeding to trial.

Crown prosecutor Mark Zarifeh said the crown did not agree that the guilty pleas to those two alternative charges were "acceptable in terms of resolving the matter".

Defence counsel David Ruth said the issue would be Christopher Smith's intent at the time of the shootings.

Smith, who remains in custody, was today given a warning under the Government's three-strikes policy relating to serious violent offending.

His brother, Steven Paul Smith, 31, unemployed also faces charges of cultivating and possessing cannabis and four firearm charges, and some have been laid jointly with his brother.

Mr Ruth indicated Steven Smith would deny all charges and he faces trial at the same time.

- NZPA